Transformable, applicable material and methods for using same for optical effects

• US 20060268412A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3DTL, Inc.
• Original Assignee: 3DTL, Inc.
• Inventors: Rewick, Robert, Willner, Mark G., Downing, Elizabeth A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/569
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1857 using exposure or etching means, e.g. holography, photolithography, exposure to electron or ion beams
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements

Abstract

Optical elements and methods of forming optical elements are described. In one example, a method applies a photosensitive ink to a substrate and exposes the ink to create an optical element, such as an optical lens or holographic recording medium.

Claims

1. A method of forming at least a portion of an optical element, the method comprising:

applying a material onto a substrate;

exposing a selected portion of the material to electromagnetic radiation, thereby altering at least one optical property of the material to create the optical element.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the material is a photosensitive ink and wherein the applying comprises a printing operation and wherein the at least one optical property comprises a refractive index and wherein the optical element comprises a grating.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the material is a photosensitive ink and wherein the applying comprises a printing operation which prints the photosensitive ink as a layer onto the substrate, which is transparent, and wherein the optical element comprises a diffractive imaging lens.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the material is a photosensitive ink and wherein the applying comprises at least one of:

(a) printing;

(b) dipping;

(c) spraying;

(d) coating and wherein the photosensitive ink is loaded with molecular hydrogen and wherein the photosensitive ink is stored at a temperature below 0°

C. prior to the applying.

9. A method as in claim 2 further comprising:

applying a further material, which is photosensitive, onto the substrate;

exposing the further material to create a second refractive index to visible light which is different than the refractive index.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein the exposing encodes information onto the substrate.

4. A method as in claim 4 wherein the optical element is capable of focusing light.

5. A method as in claim 4, the method further comprising:

cutting the transparent substrate to conform to an outer perimeter shape.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the diffractive imaging lens is formed without grinding a surface of the diffractive imaging lens.

7. A method as in claim 5 wherein the outer perimeter shape corresponds to a perimeter of a frame which is designed to hold the diffractive imaging lens, and wherein the selected portion is less than all of the material.

11. An optical element comprising:

a photosensitive material;

a substrate coupled to the photosensitive material, wherein the photosensitive material has been exposed, on at least a portion thereof, to electromagnetic radiation to change at least one optical property to create the optical element.

12. An optical element as in claim 11 wherein the substrate is transparent and flexible and has an outer perimeter shape to conform to a perimeter of a frame for a lens, and wherein the optical element is capable of focusing light.

13. An optical element as in claim 11 wherein the optical element comprises a grating.

14. An optical element as in claim 11 wherein only a selected portion of the photosensitive material is exposed to the electromagnetic radiation to encode information onto the substrate.

15. A method of forming a holographic medium comprising:

applying a photosensitive material to a substrate;

exposing a selected portion of the photosensitive material to electromagnetic radiation to record and encode information into the photosensitive material.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein the photosensitive material is an ink which is applied by printing the ink onto the substrate.

17. A method as in claim 15 wherein the ink is loaded with molecular hydrogen and stored at less than 0°

C. before the applying.