Feature

Hybrid diffractive-refractive telescope

T. Stone and N. George

Many optical design advantages including smaller lens curvatures and larger aperture elements may be obtained from mixing diffractive and refractive elements to form hybrid lenses. These advantages are also found in hybridizing conventional optical systems. Hybrid diffractive-refractive optical systems are particularly interesting due to recent advances in highly efficient, low scatter, broadband fabrication techniques such as bleached silver halide, dichromated gelatin, photopolymer recording materials, and blazed surface-relief techniques.