Abstract

The use of lithographic techniques to fabricate optical components and systems allows one to apply computer-aided design (CAD) tools to their evaluation and layout. Efforts to create such a CAD system have been aimed primarily at computer generated holograms (CGHs).¹ We have arrived at a point in the design of planar free-space optics where the complexity and topology of the systems require a dedicated design tool. To this end, we are designing a CAD tool that, in its final stage, will allow the user to lay out the system, generate the electron-beam mask file, and theoretically analyze the optical properties of the system. In this paper, we present a part of the CAD tool that performs the layout and generates the file for an electron-beam (e-beam) lithography system. Because portability of the software is important, we have chosen to use the X-windowing environment.

© 1990 Optical Society of America