Multifunctional double-layered diffractive optical element

We propose a novel multifunctional double-layered diffractive optical element (DOE) based on the fractional Talbot effect. This DOE consists of two layers: one is the encoding layer, in which multiple sub-DOEs, i.e., multiple optical functions, are encoded; the other is the decoding layer, which is a properly designed Talbot illuminator. This DOE can perform each of the multiple optical functions one by one by shifting the encoding layer. Experimental results demonstrate that this method is efficient. This device should be highly interesting for integrated optics, optical interconnection, secure optical storage, and dynamic optical fiber communications. (C) 2003 Optical Society of America.