Diamond Diffractive Optical Elements for Fire and Brilliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Diamond cutting techniques face challenges in achieving a balance between brilliance and fire, as increasing one optical property often decreases the other, limiting the potential beauty of cut diamonds due to tradeoffs in cut angles, proportions, size, and weight considerations.
Innovation Solution
The incorporation of diffractive optical elements, such as diffraction gratings and arrays of diffractive features, onto or into the surface of diamonds, which can enhance dispersion and fire independently of the diamond's cut, providing additional flexibility in manipulating optical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the diamond cut is optimized for brilliance, then fire is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the optical enhancement function into two independent components: the diamond cut geometry and the diffractive optical element. The diffractive element is divided into multiple features (gratings, ridges, grooves) that can be independently designed and positioned on different facets, allowing separate optimization of brilliance and fire without mutual interference
Solution Approach 2:
The diffractive optical element acts as an intermediary between the incident light and the diamond's internal optical paths. This intermediary structure manipulates light through diffraction to enhance fire independently, while the diamond cut itself can be optimized for brilliance without compromise
2Ease of manufacture
If the diamond cut is optimized for fire, then brilliance is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The optical enhancement function is segmented into independent components: diamond cut geometry and diffractive optical elements. The diffractive elements can be selectively applied to specific facets (crown, pavilion, girdle) with different configurations, allowing fire enhancement without compromising the brilliance-optimized cut geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter space by adding diffractive feature parameters (spacing, depth, width, pattern) independent of the cut geometry parameters (angles, proportions). This allows simultaneous optimization of both fire and brilliance by adjusting diffractive parameters without altering the established brilliant cut dimensions
3Ease of manufacture
If diffractive optical elements are added to enhance fire, then device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the fire enhancement function from the diamond cut geometry itself and implements it separately through surface-level diffractive optical elements. This extraction allows the cut to remain simple and brilliance-optimized while adding fire enhancement as a separate, modular component that can be applied post-cutting
Solution Approach 2:
The diffractive optical elements can be created using lithographic copying processes, where patterns are replicated across facets through photomask exposure and etching. This copying approach simplifies manufacturing by using standardized patterns rather than requiring complex custom shaping of each facet
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for the creation of more beautiful diamonds by enhancing fire or brilliance without compromising the other, offering greater control over optical characteristics and enabling diamonds to exhibit intense color effects or understated appearances.
Implementation Method 1
The diffractive optical element comprises a plurality of diffractive features spaced with respect to each other to diffract visible light
Implementation Method 2
much of the light that enters the crystal from above is reflected by the walls of the pavilion, the pavilion, in effect, acting as a corner reflector, and returned toward an observer through the crown
Implementation Method 3
Dispersion causes light of different wavelengths to be refracted different amounts upon entering the facets of the diamond
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments described herein comprise a gemstone or other piece of jewelry, which incorporates one or more diffractive optical elements to enhance the fire displayed by the gemstone. In certain embodiments, the diffractive optical element comprises a diffraction grating etched on one or more facets of the gemstone.