The first diffraction gratings on curved substrates were manufactured by employing ruling engines by H. A. Rowland. Due to the ruling principle, these gratings are characterized by equidistant parallel lines if the line pattern is projected along the optical axis onto a tangential plane in the vertex of the grating substrate. The Offner spectrometer is based on such a classical grating on a convex spherical substrate. This spectrometer type shows very good field correction properties. Therefore, it is among the most promising spectrometer types to meet the demands of hyper-spectral imaging. A further improvement of the optical performance is based on the modification of the surface figure of the substrate to an aspherical shape while keeping the mentioned constant grating line distribution. There are many reasons to employ interference lithography/holography - and in particular the direct blazing approach - even for the generation of the specific Offner grating line distribution on the convex substrate. A main benefit of this method is the attainable nearly perfect angular orientation of the blaze facets for the whole grating aperture. Here the achievable well defined blaze structure leads to best diffraction efficiencies close to the theoretical optimum - independent from the local curvature of the substrate. To manage the more complex recording setups of direct blazed Offner gratings, reliable methods for testing the wave front quality are a necessary pre-condition. A corresponding test method based on holographic principles will be introduced in the following text. The aspherical Offner grating was designed for the application in the UV-1 spectrometer within the Sentinel 5 mission, which is part of the European Earth Observation Program Copernicus". The spectrometer is a passive grating imaging spectrometer with a swath width of 2.670km and a spatial resolution of 50x50km2.
Dispersive elements are in general the key components of spectrometers and define mainly their performance. Prisms and filters are typically used for lower resolution applications, e.g. color measurement for industrial applications. Many high performance spectrometer applications are using gratings as dispersive elements instead. Different spectrometer layouts require various grating approaches in order to maintain the optical imaging performance. A frequent aim is a progressively optimization of the optical performance in balance to the mechanical parameters like weight, volume or robustness against variations of environmental conditions of a spectrometer module as well. Thus, the optical designer has to draw on additional design degrees of freedom. This in turn results often in more and more complex grating types featuring curved substrates and/or variable and bended grating lines. Especially the trend toward hyperspectral imaging applications demands appropriate options for enhanced field correction. The main ZEISS technology chain for grating manufacturing includes holography and reactive ion etching is a flexible base for these special types of gratings. A close entanglement between holography and accurate test procedures for the optical functionality of the holographic grating is a pre-condition for the ability to meet the often challenging specifications. Therefore, beside the brief description of the manufacturing technology in this text we show a set of newly developed measuring procedures supporting the holographic surface patterning approach.
The sensing performance of spectroscopic systems can be enhanced by improving their optical core-element: the optical grating. in particular for imaging spectrometers - especially Hyper-Spectral Imagers - beside the polarization sensitivity and efficiency the imaging quality of the diffraction grating is an important parameter. Optical elements within the spectrometer are manufactured while aiming on lowest wave front aberrations. Thus, least imaging aberration quality of the grating is required not to limit the overall imaging quality of the instrument. Different types of spectrometers (Offner, Czerny Turner) lead to different requirements for the grating surface figure. Beside wavefront aberrations the straylight of gratings will impact the optical performance of spectrometers too. Both parameters are crucially influenced by the manufacturing processes. During the manufacturing process of the grating substrate, a sequence of polishing steps can be applied in order to minimize the wavefront aberrations and roughness. Chemical assisted polishing in combination with classical techniques lead to least surface roughness. A good practice for the manufacturing of aspheres and freeform substrates is the generation of an initial figure close to the final shape only by a classical process, followed by a careful applied aspherization. The imaging performance (wavefront and straylight) of the grating is also optimized due to the recording setup of the holography - including all employed optics for the wave forming. Holographically manufactured gratings with adapted wave forming functions are used for transmission or reflection gratings on different types of substrates like prisms, convex and concave spherical and aspherical surface shapes, up to free-form elements. Numerous spectrometer setups (e.g. Offner, Rowland circle, Czerny-Turner system layout) work on the optical design principles of reflection gratings. All those manufactured gratings can be coated with adapted coatings to support their reflection or transmission operation. The present approach can be applied to manufacture high quality reflection gratings for the EUV to the IR. In this paper we report our results on designing and manufacturing high quality gratings based on holographic processes in order to enable diffraction limited complex spectrometric setups over certain wavelength ranges. Most beneficial is an optimization of the grating during spectrometer design phase while regarding the manufacturing as well. However, the initial optical design approach will show that gratings can be tailored to the specific requirements of the spectrometer (in order to enhance the imaging quality). The enhancement of the optical performance may lead to a specific wavefront shape after the grating element. this special capability for aberration reduction can be defined to the grating during the holographic process. In general, holography enables to manufacture gratings with a specific and adapted wavefront error compensation functions. Beside the results of low aberration gratings the results on straylight measurements will be presented. Recent results and optimization will be shown.
Monolithic diffraction gratings are one of the key components of high sensitive spectral imaging systems including spectrometer used in space instruments. These gratings are optimized for high efficiency, lowest line spacing errors and low scattering values to improve the performance of a spectral imaging system. Spectral imaging systems lead to enhanced remote sensing properties when the sensing system provides sufficient spectral resolution to identify materials from its spectral reflectance signature comprising low signal-to-noise ratios.
Gratings are the core element of the spectrometer. For imaging spectrometers beside the polarization sensitivity and efficiency the imaging quality of the diffraction grating is essential. Lenses and mirrors can be produced with lowest wavefront aberrations. Low aberration imaging quality of the grating is required not to limit the overall imaging quality of the instrument. Different types of spectrometers will lead to different requirements on the wavefront aberrations for their specific diffraction gratings. The wavefront aberration of an optical grating is a combination of the substrate wavefront and the grating wavefront. During the manufacturing process of the grating substrate different processes can be applied in order to minimize the wavefront aberrations. The imaging performance of the grating is also optimized due to the recording setup of the holography.
This technology of holographically manufactured gratings is used for transmission and reflection gratings on different types of substrates like prisms, convex and concave spherical and aspherical surface shapes, free-form elements. All the manufactured gratings are monolithic and can be coated with high reflection and anti-reflection coatings. Prism substrates were used to manufacture monolithic GRISM elements for the UV to IR spectral range preferably working in transmission. Besides of transmission gratings, numerous spectrometer setups (e.g. Offner, Rowland circle, Czerny-Turner system layout) working on the optical design principles of reflection gratings. The present approach can be applied to manufacture high quality reflection gratings for the EUV to the IR.
In this paper we report our latest results on manufacturing lowest wavefront aberration gratings based on holographic processes in order to enable at least diffraction limited complex spectrometric setups over certain wavelength ranges. Beside the results of low aberration gratings the latest achievements on improving efficiency together with less polarization sensitivity of diffractive gratings will be shown for different grating profiles.
For imaging spectrometers beside the polarization sensitivity and efficiency the imaging quality of the diffraction grating is essential. Low aberration imaging quality of the grating is required not to limit the overall imaging quality of the instrument. The wavefront aberration of an optical grating is a combination of the substrate wavefront and the grating wavefront. During the manufacturing process of the grating substrate different processes can be applied in order to minimize the wavefront aberrations. The imaging performance of the grating is also optimized due to the recording setup of the holography and a special technique to apply blazed profiles also in photoresist of curved substrates.
This technology of holographically manufactured gratings is used for transmission and reflection gratings on different types of substrates like prisms, convex and concave spherical and aspherical surface shapes, free-form elements. All the manufactured gratings are monolithic and can be coated with high reflection and anti-reflection coatings. Prism substrates were used to manufacture monolithic GRISM elements for the UV to IR spectral range preferably working in transmission. Besides of transmission gratings, numerous spectrometer setups (e.g. Offner, Rowland circle, Czerny-Turner system layout) working on the optical design principles of reflection gratings. The present approach can be applied to manufacture high quality reflection gratings for the EUV to the IR.
In this paper we report our latest results on manufacturing lowest wavefront aberration gratings based on holographic processes in order to enable at least diffraction limited complex spectrometric setups over certain wavelength ranges. Beside the results of low aberration gratings the latest achievements on improving efficiency together with less polarization sensitivity and multi-band performance of diffractive gratings will be shown.
Spectral imaging systems lead to enhanced sensing properties when the sensing system provides sufficient spectral resolution to identify materials from its spectral reflectance signature. The performance of diffraction gratings provides an initial way to improve instrumental resolution. Thus, subsequent manufacturing techniques of high quality gratings are essential to significantly improve the spectral performance. The ZEISS unique technology of manufacturing real-blazed profiles and as well as lamellar profiles comprising transparent substrates is well suited for the production of transmission gratings. In order to reduce high order aberrations, aspherical and free-form surfaces can be alternatively processed to allow more degrees of freedom in the optical design of spectroscopic instruments with less optical elements and therefore size and weight advantages. Prism substrates were used to manufacture monolithic GRISM elements for UV to IR spectral range. Many years of expertise in the research and development of optical coatings enable high transmission anti-reflection coatings from the DUV to the NIR. ZEISS has developed specially adapted coating processes (Ion beam sputtering, ion-assisted deposition and so on) for maintaining the micro-structure of blazed gratings in particular. Besides of transmission gratings, numerous spectrometer setups (e.g. Offner, Rowland circle, Czerny-Turner system layout) working on the optical design principles of reflection gratings. This technology steps can be applied to manufacture high quality reflection gratings from the EUV to the IR applications with an outstanding level of low stray light and ghost diffraction order by employing a combination of holography and reactive ion beam etching together with the in-house coating capabilities. We report on results of transmission gratings on plane and curved substrates and GRISM elements with enhanced efficiency of the grating itself combined with low scattered light in the angular distribution. Beside of the results of straylight measurement the actual results on improving efficiency and lowering the polarization sensitivity for transmission gratings will be discussed on theoretical simulations compared to measured data over the entire wavelength range.
Spectral imaging systems lead to enhanced sensing properties when the sensing system provides sufficient spectral resolution to identify materials from its spectral reflectance signature. The performance of diffraction gratings provides an initial way to improve instrumental resolution. Thus, subsequent manufacturing techniques of high quality gratings are essential to significantly improve the spectral performance. The ZEISS unique technology of manufacturing real-blazed profiles comprising transparent substrates is well suited for the production of transmission gratings. In order to reduce high order aberrations, aspherical and free-form surfaces can be alternatively processed to allow more degrees of freedom in the optical design of spectroscopic instruments with less optical elements and therefore size and weight advantages. Prism substrates were used to manufacture monolithic GRISM elements for UV to IR spectral range. Many years of expertise in the research and development of optical coatings enable high transmission anti-reflection coatings from the DUV to the NIR. ZEISS has developed specially adapted coating processes (Ion beam sputtering, ion-assisted deposition and so on) for maintaining the micro-structure of blazed gratings in particular. Besides of transmission gratings, numerous spectrometer setups (e.g. Offner, Rowland circle, Czerny-Turner system layout) working on the optical design principles of reflection gratings. This technology steps can be applied to manufacture high quality reflection gratings from the EUV to the IR applications with an outstanding level of low stray light and ghost diffraction order by employing a combination of holography and reactive ion beam etching together with the in-house coating capabilities. We report on results of transmission, reflection gratings on plane and curved substrates and GRISM elements with enhanced efficiency of the grating itself combined with low scattered light in the angular distribution. Focusing on the straylight characteristic a measurement of the actual straylight level, preferably with extremely high precision, was performed and will be discussed in this paper. Beside of the results of straylight measurement the actual results on improving efficiency for transmission and reflection gratings will be discussed on theoretical simulations compared to measured data over the entire wavelength range.
A diffraction grating is one of the key-components of spectral imaging spectrometers. Spectral imaging systems lead to enhanced remote sensing properties when the sensing system provides sufficient spectral resolution to identify materials from its spectral reflectance signature. The performance of diffraction gratings provide an initial way to improve instrumental resolution. Thus, subsequent manufacturing techniques of high quality gratings are essential to significantly boost spectral performance. ZEISS has developed advanced fabrication techniques to manufacture monolithic, high groove density gratings with low stray light, high diffraction efficiency and low polarization sensitivity characteristic. Gratings at ZEISS can be generated holographically in combination with ion beam plasma etching to enhance the grating profile or made by using gray-scale laser lithography technology. Holographic recording in combination with plasma etching enable the fabrication of various grating profiles to optimize efficiency including polarization behavior. Typical profile shapes are blazed type gratings, sinusoidal profiles and binary profiles allowing to optimize efficiency and polarization requirements exactly towards the required spectral range. Holographic gratings can be fabricated on plane and curved (convex, concave or free-form shape) substrates. As grating manufacturing techniques continue to cope with the challenges of enhanced remote sensing capabilities, ZEISS also can pattern large-area diffraction gratings with high resolution in the visible and shortwave infrared by using gray-scale lithography.
The main challenges of fabricating diffraction gratings for use in earth monitoring spectrometers are given by the requirements for low stray light, high diffraction efficiency and a low polarization sensitivity. Furthermore the use in space also requires a high environmental stability of these gratings. We found that holography in combination with ion beam plasma etching provides a way to obtain monolithic, robust fused silica gratings which are able to meet the above mentioned requirements for space applications. Holography accompanied by plasma etching allows the fabrication of a wide range of different grating profiles to optimize the efficiency including the polarization behavior according to a wealth of applications. Typical profile shapes feasible are blazed gratings, sinusoidal profiles and binary profiles and this allows to tailor the efficiency and polarization requirements exactly to the spectral range of the special application. Holographic gratings can be fabricated on plane and also on curved substrates as core components of imaging spectrometers. In this paper we present our grating fabrication flow for the example of plane blazed gratings and we relate the efficiency and stray light measurement results to certain steps of the process. The holographic setup was optimized to minimize stray light and ghosting recorded by the photoresist during the exposure. Low wave front deviations require the use of highly accurate grating substrates and high precision optics in the holographic exposure.
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