Generation of phase-only holograms by laser ablation of nanoparticulate ITO layers

Phase holograms offer great potential e. g. for laser beam shaping and imaging applications. However, the generation of these structures typically requires multi-step processes which tend to be time-consuming and expensive, especially if high-quality structures are required. In this work we demonstrate a flexible and inexpensive method which allows for the production of binary phase-only holograms by laser ablation of ITO nanoparticle layers. Since these layers are ablated free of residues, accurately defined phase shifts can be achieved. While arbitrarily shaped structures can be generated, the ITO layer thickness can be adjusted in order to freely tune the phase shift for the desired wavelength. In the diffraction patterns generated by the holograms we observed an excellent zero order suppression.