Image replication with diffractive structures

Many techniques have been described in the literature for generating spot arrays from a single input beam. When such a device is used for image replication (IR), the finite field of view unavoidably introduces optical aberrations that reduce the fidelity of the replicated images. Fourier array generators offer a low-cost and flexible method of image replication with lower optical aberrations than other methods and aberrations that are sufficiently low for replication of extended images. Using multicriteria optimization, two-dimensional Fourier array generator-based optical systems can be designed with high diffraction efficiency and near-diffraction-limited imaging performance across an extended field of view.