Analysis of materials selected for multilayer diffractive optical elements

An analysis model to optimize the materials selected for multilayer diffractive elements (MLDOEs) is presented with approximate Cauchy dispersion formula of refractive index and the maximum polychromatic integral diffraction efficiency (PIDE). The analysis model presents that the maximum PIDE of MLDOEs consisting of two materials with large Abbe number difference and small partial dispersion difference can be generated. The scope of application and the relationship between diffraction efficiencies of MLDOEs with different material pairs and different design wavelength pairs are presented and simulated with the analysis model of MLDOEs.