Laser printing of active optical microstructures

Optically activated indium oxide diffractive optical microstructures are demonstrated through a two step laser based fabrication method. Nonstoichiometric indium oxide thin film material grown by reactive pulsed laser deposition has been selectively transferred onto glass substrates by ultrashort pulse laser microprinting to form surface relief microstructures. Subsequent ultraviolet illumination has induced dynamic refractive index changes, which result in all optical control of the grating diffraction efficiency. The direct materials transfer process enables reproduction of the structural and physical properties of the oxide. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.