Diffractive optical element

摘要

A method of manufacturing a diffractive optical element comprises providing a first optical element component 13 comprising a surface on which a relief pattern 20 for generating a desired diffraction effect is formed. A liquid material is dripped onto said surface of the first optical element component 13 on which the relief pattern 20 is formed to thereby form a second optical element component 14. A third optical element component 12 is pressed onto a surface of the second optical element component 14 which is opposite said surface of the first optical component element 13 on which the relief pattern 20 is formed. The liquid material forming the second optical element component 14 is cured following the pressing of the third optical element component 12. One of said first 13 and second 14 optical element components comprises a relatively high refractive index and relatively low dispersion material, and the other of said first and second optical elements comprises a relatively low refractive index and relatively high dispersion material, and the optical material forming said third optical element component 12 has a refractive index that is closer to that of the optical material of the second optical element component 14 than that of the optical material of the first optical element component 13.