Planar holographic configuration for efficient imaging

Abstract

A planar holographic configuration that can be exploited for imaging with high light throughput efficiency is presented. The configuration is comprised of two elements — a linear grating and a corrected holographic lens. The design and recording of the holographic lens are based on a technique, where a desired-grating function, with low aberrations, is transferred from a thin hologram to on recorded in thick recording materials, so the Bragg condition is fulfilled over a broad range of incidence angles. As a result, it is possible to get a halographic lens having low aberrations and uniform high diffraction efficiency over a relatively large field of view. When combined with the linear grating, the overall planar optics configuration can be exploited for imaging information displayed with quasi monochromatic light source, as in a visor display application. Such a configuration was designed, recorded and evaluated experimentally, demonstrating a uniform, and relatively high diffraction efficiency over a field of view of 16 degrees.