Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N171-038

Description

To address the Navy need for a diffractive optical element for light field displays, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novel Diffractive Hogel Achromatic Lens Array (DHALA) technology based on the integration of three key technological components proven by POC: (1) the multiplexed aberration-compensated holographic optical element design, (2) the direct-write hologram printer array recording technique, and (3) the efficient holographic contact-copying mass production process. Representing a new diffractive optical element technology, DHALA has advantages in much-improved size, performance, and cost over the refractive microlens array, in terms of imaging quality, uniformity, reduced aberrations, and manufacturability. These advantages, provided by POCs optical modeling and low-cost fabrication process, have not yet been accomplished by state-of-the-art approaches. In Phase I, POC will develop a concept for DHALA for wide-FOV light field displays and low-cost manufacturability based on the proposed DHALA technology components, design and fabricate a DHALA element to demonstrate the feasibility of the technology, and verify performance of the component by preliminary bench-top testing. In Phase II, a deliverable prototype DHALA element will be developed, demonstrated, and tested for its optical performance and potential integration into a light field display for the Navys AEGIS combat systems.