Upper bound of the diffraction efficiency of diffractive phase elements.
An upper bound of the diffraction efficiency of diffractive elements that only influence the phase of the illumination wave is derived. The derivation only utilizes the specification of the desired diffraction pattern. It is independent of the technique to design and fabricate the diffractive element. The theory is based on the transmittance approach to describe the effect of the element on the illumination wave.
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Wyrowski