Abstract

The growing complexity and ever-increasing miniaturization of optical systems has made the development of sophisticated, flexible and compact interconnection components both necessary and urgent [1-3]. The functionality of conventional DOEs can be increased by making them polarization-selective, i.e. anisotropic. Recently Ford et al described the fabrication and characterization of anisotropic DOEs (ADOEs) in LiNbO₃-substrates using ion milling. However, to make ADOEs more generally useful, it would be desirable to use a material which is both cheaper and easier to process. Here we demonstrate that calcite is an attractive alternative, with several advantages over LiNbO₃.

© 1995 Optical Society of America