INTERNAL OPTICAL ELEMENTS PRODUCED BY IRRADIATION-INDUCED REFRACTIVE INDEX CHANGES

摘要

Systems and methods are provided for forming an optical element within a transparent material using an irradiating optical beam, where the irradiating optical beam is employed to induce internal refractive index changes in the transparent substrate. Optical elements such as bulk and gradient index lenses may be formed in the transparent structure according various embodiments of the disclosure. An optical element may be formed by selecting a refractive index profile for the optical element, determining a corresponding suitable spatially dependent irradiation intensity profile for producing the selected refractive index profile, focusing an irradiating optical beam within the transparent structure, and controlling an intensity and position of the focused irradiating optical beam within the transparent structure according to the spatially dependent irradiation intensity profile.

主权项

1. A method of forming an optical element having a pre-selected refractive index profile within a transparent substrate, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) focusing an optical irradiating beam within the transparent substrate, wherein beam parameters of the optical irradiating beam are sufficient to generate a permanent refractive index change, and wherein the transparent substrate is substantially transparent over a wavelength region associated with the optical irradiating beam, and scanning a position of the focus of the optical irradiating beam within the transparent substrate for forming the pre-selected refractive index profile within the transparent substrate; (b) directing an additional optical beam through the transparent substrate, such that the additional optical beam is refracted by the optical element, and measuring one or more properties of the additional optical beam after it is transmitted by the optical element; (c) comparing the one or more properties with at least one reference property to determine an error profile, the error profile associated with a difference between the refractive index profile formed by the optical irradiating beam and the pre-selected refractive index profile; and (d) controlling the beam parameters of the optical irradiating beam while scanning the optical irradiating beam to reduce the error profile.