Error diffusion method applied to design combined CSG-BSG element used in ICF driver

Abstract

In the final optics assembly of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) driver, Diffractive Optical Elements (DOEs) are applied to achieve some important functions, such as harmonic wave separation, beam sampling, beam smoothing and pulse compression etc. However, in order to optimize the system structure, decrease the energy loss and avoid the damage of laser induction or self-focusing effect, the number of elements used in the ICF system, especially in the final optics assembly, should be minimized. The multiple exposure method has been proposed, for this purpose, to fabricate BSG and CSG on one surface of a silica plate. But the multiple etch processes utilized in this method is complex and will introduce large alignment error. Error diffusion method that based on pulse-density modulation has been widely used in signal processing and computer generated hologram (CGH). In this paper, according to error diffusion method in CGH and partial coherent imaging theory, we present a new method to design coding mask of combine CSG-BSG element with error diffusion method. With the designed mask, only one exposure process is needed in fabricating combined element, which will greatly reduce the fabrication difficulty and avoid the alignment error introduced by multiple etch processes. We illustrate the designed coding mask for CSG-BSG element with this method and compare the intensity distribution of the spatial image in partial coherent imaging system with desired relief.