Technology
Mechanical Ruling
Inprentus manufactures blazed diffraction gratings using a novel nano-scale contact mode lithography technique (mechanical ruling) that can scribe thousands of lines per millimeter, providing the ultra-accuracy required for diffraction gratings used in a variety of applications. Inprentus can scribe grating lines with blaze angles below 1 degree with an accuracy of 0.1 degree or better, without the need for ion-milling or other post-processing. Novel interferometry techniques developed at Inprentus allow for grating lines to be positioned with accuracy better than 20 nm over distances of 10 cm or larger. Using this technology, Inprentus creates gratings with resolving power up to 50,000, unprecedented for mechanically ruled diffraction gratings. Inprentus blazed diffraction gratings are a core component of augmented reality (AR) applications, semiconductor manufacturing, and in materials, chemistry, and life sciences research.
A precision tool shapes metal into triangular facets. No material is removed, and one line is ruled at a time. Inprentus can rule 15,000 lines a day in an automated fashion.
What is a Diffraction Grating?
DUV Diffraction Grating Created by Inprentus.
A diffraction grating is a periodic structure patterned into a reflective surface, which disperses light into its constituent wavelengths.
- Gratings separate light into its "colors”, similar to a prism.
- Allows for the control and manipulation of light.
- Used in all applications in which the wavelength of light must be tuned (spectroscopy, imaging, etc.), including semiconductor manufacturing, augmented reality (AR), and in materials, chemistry, and life sciences research.
Presentation
Recent advances in blazed diffraction grating manufacturing technology for synchrotron, FEL, EUV, and spectroscopy applications
Custom Blazed Diffraction Gratings manufactured by Inprentus are used with X-Ray, UV, and Visible Light applications. Our revolutionary manufacturing techniques allow for the creation of ultra-high line density and high-precision patterning of surfaces. Our exacting manufacturing process, testing program, and packaging operations ensure the highest standard of quality, providing gratings that are thoroughly clean and free from any organic low vapor pressure material or organic fluid. Each diffraction grating is measured with a variety of optical metrology instruments, and test results are provided with the delivery of each diffraction grating.