Novel diffractive optical element: binary photon sieve

Abstract

In this paper, we developed a novel photon sieve consisting of a large number of precisely positioned holes distributed according to an underlying Fresnel zone plate (FZP) geometry, while the holes at transparent and opaque circular rings of the FZP have a π phase shift. Compared to a conventional photon sieve which we call an amplitude-photon sieve (PS), the binary photon sieve has a transmission two times more amplitude-PS and a diffractive efficiency approximately four times than amplitude-PS. A 70-mm diameter, f/10 binary photon sieve has been fabricated for operation at visible light. Details of design, fabrication, and performance of the binary photon sieve are presented.