US 11,789,183 B2
Independent control of both index and dispersion in gradient index optics
Guy Beadie, Falls Church, VA (US); Richard Flynn, Newbury Park, CA (US); James S. Shirk, Alexandria, VA (US); Joseph Mait, Bethesda, MD (US); and Predrag Milojkovic, Bethesda, MD (US)
Assigned to The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Oct. 13, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/69,849.
Application 17/069,849 is a continuation of application No. 15/723,215, filed on Oct. 3, 2017, granted, now 10,802,180.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/408,099, filed on Oct. 14, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0026043 A1, Jan. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. G02B 3/00 (2006.01); B29D 11/00 (2006.01); G02C 7/02 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 3/0087 (2013.01) [B29D 11/00355 (2013.01); G02C 7/028 (2013.01); B29D 11/00788 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a gradient index (GRIN) optical element, comprising the steps of:
receiving, at a fusing device, a plurality of base optical materials including a first base optical material, a second base optical material, and a third base optical material, wherein each of the plurality of base optical materials has a different refractive index;
driving the fusing device, under the control of a controller, to selectively combine the plurality of base optical materials to form a multilayered composite GRIN sheet that includes a plurality of alternating layers of the first base optical material, the second base optical material, and the third base optical material to independently control both an index of refraction distribution and an optical dispersion distribution through the multilayered composite GRIN sheet; and
shaping the multilayered composite GRIN sheet to form a GRIN optical element.