Extended algorithm for the design of diffractive optical elements around the focal plane

Abstract

We present a multiplane algorithm for three-dimensional uniform illumination. The large-diameter diffractive optical element simulated by this algorithm homogeneously concentrates more than 86.5% of the incident energy into a 200 microm length of columnar space around the focal plane. The intensity profile in the whole space is nearly flattop, and the beam's quality measured by the root mean square is less than 20.6%. The algorithm is very useful if a great deal of tolerance is required for the installation error of the optical system or if it is used for some particular application, such as uniform illumination on an incline plane.