Tailored micro-optical and sub-wavelength structures: Manufacturing and application

Diffractive optical elements (DOEs) are of enormous importance for applications in spectroscopic and imaging systems. We demonstrate that modified Talbot-Lithography is a fast and flexible technology for the mastering of micro-optical components, especially to manufacture high efficient spectroscopic diffractive gratings with an extended profile depth. The characteristics of DOEs also open up new opportunities for their integration in variable elastomeric optical components. We present theoretical investigations of the mechanical deformation of an initial Blazed-like diffractive grating and its impact on the optical diffraction efficiency.