Simulation and Analysis of high-NA Freeform Surfaces

Würzburg, 7 October 2020, Photonics Hub Symposium

The generation of a specific wide-angle radiant intensity distribution by a freeform surface for given input light is one task in freeform design. The shaping of the focal region of a high NA focal system is the interesting opposite scenario. We discuss both cases together with suitable modeling and design concepts. The same design concepts can be modified and used to shape light with metasurfaces and holographic optical elements. Then we discuss the use of miniaturized freeform surfaces in regular and randomized arrays. The inclusion of diffraction at the edges of the array cells is discussed and demonstrated at the example of a microlens array. For a randomized array we discuss and demonstrate the transition to deterministic diffuser designs for light shaping. All illustrations and examples are done with the optics software VirtualLab Fusion.