ENGINEERING EQUIPMENT GRANT: CONTACT MASK ALIGNER FOR BINARY DIFFRACTIVE OPTICS

这项资助是为用于制造二相衍射光学元件的高分辨率接触掩模对准器提供的。该仪器将极大地扩展正在进行的研究工作：1)提高二元位相光栅性能的基本知识，2)将它们应用于光学互连系统，以及3)设计和测试用于磁光数据存储头组件的衍射元件。所请求的掩模对准器将把掩模对准分辨率能力扩展到小于0.4微米，并且是制造上述应用所需的复杂元件所必需的。二相微光学器件的成功演示将对这些系统的性能和实现产生重大影响。除了支持这些具体的研究项目外，该设备将用于培训学生制作二元位相光栅。这将满足几个合作的工业和政府实验室所表达的日益增长的教育需求。

The grant is for a high resolution contact mask aligner for use in fabricating binary phase diffractive optical elements. the instrument will greatly expand the on-going research efforts to: 1) improve basic knowledge of binary phase grating performance, 2) apply them in optical interconnect systems, and 3) design and test diffractive elements for use in magneto-optic data storage head assemblies. The requested mask aligner will extend mask alignment resolution capability to less than 0.4 micrometers, and is necessary for making the complex elements needed for the above applications. Successful demonstration of binary phase micro- optical components will have a major impact on the performance and realization of these systems. In addition to supporting these specific research projects, the equipment will be used to train students to fabricate binary phase gratings. This would satisfy a growing educational need expressed by several collaborating industrial and government laboratories.