Non Imaging Applications of Volume Diffractive Optics

Abstract

This dissertation presents theoretical and experimental work on non-imaging diffractive optics. The new use of devices based on this work is shown and grouped by application. First, devices for telecommunications applications are described: volume reflection Bragg gratings were designed for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) applications. Two devices based on reflection Bragg filters are presented in this work. Tunable phenanthrenquinone-doped poly(methyl methacrylate) (PQ-PMMA) edge illuminated Bragg filters were found to be wavelength selectable via the application of a constant stress, either in tension or compression, allowing for a wavelength tuning of ~4.5nm. Silica on silicon, multichannel parallel anti-symmetric waveguide Bragg gratings (AWBG) are theoretically demonstrated based on coupled mode theory, mode overlap with parallel gratings and previous experimental results with single channel AWBGs. These parallel AWBG devices are shown to be scalable, with the device length increasing as the number of parallel channels increases. Second, diffractive devices based on flexible, volume transmission holograms are presented and demonstrated for low level solar concentration in latitude mounted applications. The film, arrayed next to the solar cells, directs the incoming solar irradiance incident upon it towards the solar cell. These holograms are shown to work for both silicon and Copper Indium Gallium diSelenide (CIGS) solar cells. New solar holographic designs for non-latitude mounting applications are also shown for common photovoltaic materials. The holographic designs are based on approximate coupled wave analysis (ACWA), the latitude and mounting angle of the application, the spectral response of the photovoltaic material, and the seasonal and daily sun angle position. The simulation work suggests that holograms optimized for non-latitude mounted applications contribute proportionately more energy throughout the year than earlier latitude mounted hologram designs.