Canon Patent Application: Diffractive Optical Element

Canon has applied for this patent on a diffractive optical element with improved diffraction effeciency.   We haven't seen any new diffractive optical lenses in a while, the last being the Canon EF 400mm 4.0 DO IS USM II in September 2014. The 600mm DO lens was shown off in several Canon exhibits at shows but nothing has really come of it.

Canon continues to do diffractive optics research and this patent application is another indication of that research.

Canon also mentions putting diffractive optics in binoculars in this application which I think would be a first time implementation of this technology in binoculars.

US Patent Application 20190113663