Shaping 3D diffraction patterns with a binary aperture.

This article presents a novel inverse design method for binary apertures to generate desired three-dimensional (3D) diffraction patterns in free space using an optimal accumulation algorithm (OAA). The approach relies on prior experimental measurements of diffraction patterns from random binary apertures and efficiently determines the aperture distribution to produce complex 2D and 3D target patterns under Fresnel diffraction. Experiments employing a digital micromirror device (DMD) as a reconfigurable binary aperture demonstrate high fidelity between generated and target patterns, with average Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.90 for 2D and 0.87 for 3D patterns. The method enables dynamic projection of 3D diffraction patterns at multiple planes and offers advantages over conventional iterative algorithms in computational efficiency and applicability to complex pattern design, with potential applications in laser beam shaping, structured light illumination, and diffractive optical elements.