Thermal embossing of mid-infrared diffractive optical elements by use of a self-processing photopolymer master

摘要

Surface-relief transmissive diffractive elements were fabricated by embossing. The master was made by lithography with a self-developing photopolymer. The highly cross-linked structure exhibited by the polymer has made possible the direct replication by thermal embossing of polyethylene substrates. Fabricated elements are meant to work with mid-infrared radiation. The influence of some process variables, related to the performance of the diffractive elements, is analyzed.