Conference Agenda

Freeform micro-optical components are central to the next generation of compact optical systems, enabling precise control over light propagation in ways that conventional optics cannot achieve. In this work, we explore the use of Generated Jacobian Equations (GJEs) for the inverse design of freeform micro-optical surfaces. While existing numerical algorithms for solving GJEs have been developed by the mathematical community, their application to the design of micro-optics remains largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate the integration of these methods into an applied design pipeline targeting 3D printed freeform micro-optics fabricated via two-photon polymerization (2PP). We argue that the unique fabrication capabilities of 2PP, including true freeform surface realization and sub-micron resolution, make it an ideal platform for implementing the complex optical surfaces derived from GJE-based inverse design. By combining this computational approach with the geometric freedom offered by 2PP, we highlight the potential for creating novel micro-optical elements tailored for specific optical transformations. This work establishes a bridge between alternative design tools and cutting-edge micro-fabrication technologies, opening new opportunities in the field of engineered micro-optics

Two distinct reflective telescope designs utilizing a three-mirror anastigmat configuration were investigated. We demonstrate how the strategic placement of the tertiary mirror (M3) significantly influences the telescope's form factor, enabling novel architectures for very large aperture systems. These designs achieve large etendue and high imaging throughput, critical for advancing astronomical observations in the era of big data.

Cascaded diffractive optical element (DOE), consisting of multiple DOE layers, is a type of multi-layer architecture that introduces additional design freedom, e.g. rotation angle, wavelength or polarization state, enabling more flexible and precise modulation of light field compared to a single-layer DOE. This enhanced modulation capability endows it with significant potential for applications in the field of information encryption. For this application, the fidelity of image reconstruction is critically important to the performance of the cascaded DOE. In this work, we propose a new cascaded DOE design framework with the integration of an optimized Harvey’s model, enabling larger modulation bandwidth compared to conventional angular spectrum method (ASM), thereby increasing the information capacity of cascaded DOE, as well as the accuracy of reconstructed images. To validate the proposed method, we design a cascaded DOE for four distinct images encryption. The correlation coefficient of decrypted images is improved by 37% compared to the result that used ASM-based design method. Future work includes fabricating the designed DOE using a two-photon polymerization (2PP) technique and verifying its performance experimentally.

Increasing accuracy requirements for optical systems require taking thermal disturbances into account at an early stage of the design process. Therefore, a simulation method is presented with a mesh-based absorption algorithm, to account for the temperature distribution in a lens. Having this information, e.g., temperature dependent material properties can be used or thermal deformations can be considered.