Rapid Prototyping of Optical Fourier Surfaces and Volumes

In this talk, I'll introduce the manufacturing method, allowing for rapid prototyping of optical Fourier surfaces and volumes (OFSs & OFVs). Both surface and volume gratings have long acted as a key role in various AR/VR displays. From a Fourier optical point of view, the sinusoidally modulated surface- and volumetric-index variants can be considered as the ideal requirements for these surface and volume gratings. Recently, surface and volume gratings satisfying these requirements have been conceptualized by OFSs and OFVs, respectively. Unfortunately, conventional manufacturing methods including monolithic lithography are intrinsically unable to address such requirements for OFSs and OFVs. This is because most lithographic methods are only compatible with the developments of the digitated “all” or “nothing” structures. By contrast, the holographic inscription can be a practical platform for the perfect OFSs and OFVs. The directions and degrees of soft mass migrations can be exactly guided by the holographically defined Fourier potentials. As such, the sinusoidally formulated Fourier potentials of the holographically mixed light can be implemented into the inscriptions of surface and volumetric gratings. Since mere illumination of the holographically mixed light is all the required process for the developing OFSs and OFVs, the available throughput can become much beyond what could be achieved with the conventional lithographic ways.