The optical component includes a first substrate, a first diffractive layer formed on the first substrate, a second substrate, a second diffractive layer formed on the second substrate, and a bonding material disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and connecting the first substrate and the second substrate. The second diffractive layer is disposed opposite to the first diffractive layer, and both the first diffractive layer and the second diffractive layer are located between the first substrate and the second substrate. A gap is formed between the first diffractive layer and the second diffractive layer.

A two-dimensional waveguide light multiplexer is described herein that can efficiently multiplex and distribute a light signal in two dimensions. An example of a two-dimensional waveguide light multiplexer can include a waveguide, a first diffraction grating, and a second diffraction grating disposed above the first diffraction grating and arranged such that the grating direction of the first diffraction grating is perpendicular to the grating direction of the second diffraction grating. Methods of fabricating a two-dimensional waveguide light multiplexer are also disclosed.

An optical observation system includes a spatial light modulator displaying a Fresnel type kinoform on a phase modulation plane, and modulating light L1 in phase to irradiate an observation object with modulated light L2, an imaging optical system imaging observation target light L3 from the observation object, an optical system moving mechanism moving the imaging optical system in an optical axis direction of the observation target light L3, and a control section controlling the optical system moving mechanism such that the focal position of the imaging optical system changes in response to a change in the light condensing position of the modulated light L2 by the Fresnel type kinoform.

The invention is directed at a miniature grism system. The miniature grism system is a single compact device that comprises a grism with collimating and focusing optics. In an aspect, the grism includes at least one prism and a grating. In an aspect, the miniature grism system, and more specifically the grism, includes at least one prism which is placed on either side of the grating. The focusing optics and the collimating optics are found on opposite sides of the grism system, sandwiching the prism and grating of the grism. In an aspect, the miniature grism system is configured to be retained within a filter wheel. The miniature grism system is configured to be used with telescopes having a small focal ratio.

Methods, apparatuses and systems for detecting multiple gaseous substances for detecting a plurality of target gaseous substances or chemical compositions, using, for example, a high-speed, tunable gas detecting apparatus. An example gas detecting apparatus may comprise: a light source configured to generate a light beam, a moveable mirror component configured to move between a plurality of positions, wherein each position of the moveable mirror component is associated with a narrow band corresponding with a gas absorption frequency range of a target gaseous substance or chemical composition, at least one optical component configured to condition an output light beam of the moveable mirror component, wherein a measurable attenuated optical signal is generated responsive to exposing a sample gaseous substance to the conditioned output light beam.

Methods and apparatus for providing spectrally beam-combined fiber-based transmitters and/or receivers for laser communications, LiDAR, and similar devices. A transmitter can include a launch array configured to spatially position each output beam of pulsed lasers, a transform optical component to correct deflection of the output beams of the pulsed lasers from the launch array, and a dispersive optical element to combine beams from the transform optical element and generate a spectrally combined beam. A receiver can include spectral comb filters to spectrally discriminate multi-wavelength detected signals from background illumination.

System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to a camera system. In one embodiment, the camera system includes a lens to receive light associated with an object and a first component, operatively connected to the lens, that inverts the light. The camera system also includes a second component, operatively connected to the first component, that resolves an angle of the light. A detector array, operatively connected to the second component, senses the light using a pixel to form an image to estimate depth of the object.

A lightweight stacked optical waveguide using two plastic substrates having nano-structure gratings and a single glass substrate sandwiched between them. The nano-structure gratings face each other, and are each encapsulated within the optical waveguide. The two plastic substrates are each adhesively secured to the central glass substrate rather than to each other to provide sufficient securing strength and precisely establish and maintain an air gap between the substrates. The thickness of the plastic substrates and the glass substrate are selected such that the stacked optical waveguide is lightweight, but also has sufficient drop performance. The stacked optical waveguide can be efficiently manufactured as the adhesive bonds a plastic substrate to a glass substrate.

An optical inspection system includes one or more gratings to convert the polarization of light scattered from a target from an elliptical polarization that varies spatially across a collection pupil to a linear polarization that is uniformly oriented across the collection pupil. The one or more gratings have phase retardation that varies spatially across the collection pupil in accordance with the elliptical polarization. The one or more gratings include at least one grating on a reflective substrate. The optical inspection system also includes a linear polarizer to filter out the linearly polarized light.

The disclosure provides for structured illumination microscopy (SIM) imaging systems. In one set of implementations, a SIM imaging system may be implemented as a multi-arm SIM imaging system, whereby each arm of the system includes a light emitter and a beam splitter (e.g., a transmissive diffraction grating) having a specific, fixed orientation with respect to the system's optical axis. In a second set of implementations, a SIM imaging system may be implemented as a multiple beam splitter slide SIM imaging system, where one linear motion stage is mounted with multiple beam splitters having a corresponding, fixed orientation with respect to the system's optical axis. In a third set of implementations, a SIM imaging system may be implemented as a pattern angle spatial selection SIM imaging system, whereby a fixed two-dimensional diffraction grating is used in combination with a spatial filter wheel to project one-dimensional fringe patterns on a sample.