Generating an M2 × N2 spot array with a dual-period hybrid Dammann grating fabricated using maskless projection lithography

Abstract

The Dammann grating (DG), which redistributes a collimated laser beam into a spot array with a uniform intensity, is a widely adopted approach for profile measurement. Conventional DGs for dense spot projection are binary phase gratings with precisely designed groove structures, which suffer from low efficiency, poor uniformity, and a hard-to-fabricate fine feature size when utilized for a large field of view (FOV). Here, we propose a new, to the best of our knowledge, hybrid DG architecture consisting of two different grating periods which effectively generates an engineering M² × N² spot array with a non-complex structural design. As a proof-of-concept, a dual-period hybrid DG with a two-scale grating period ratio of 11.88 μm/95.04 μm (∼1/8) is designed and fabricated as a means to generate a dense 7² × 7² diffraction spot array with a FOV of 17° × 17°. In addition, the DG exhibits superior performance, with a high efficiency (>60%) and a low non-uniformity (<18%) at a wavelength of 532 nm. This kind of hybrid DG constructed from photoresist patterns with a minimum feature size of ∼1.2 μm can be perfectly fabricated by maskless projection lithography for large-scale and low-cost production. The proposed dual-period hybrid DG can pave the way for depth-perception-related applications such as face unlocking and motion sensing.