Optical device having a microlens and a process for making microlenses

• US 5,225,935 A
• Filed: 07/08/1992
• Issued: 07/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Noriko, Hamada, Hiroshi, Funada, Fumiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/911,352
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 350/167, 264/1.6, 264/1.7, 264/1.4, 264/2.5, 264/2.7, 359/619, 359/620
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0827 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/08 by wave energy or particle radiation B29C64/00, B29C71/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/02 of articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles B29C35/0227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/021 characterised by the shape of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/18 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C43/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/78 Moulding material on one side only of the preformed part
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00278 Lenticular sheets B29D11/00269 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0016 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/04 made of organic materials, e.g. plastics G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0031 Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1221 made from organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/001 Phase modulating patterns, e.g. refractive index patterns

Abstract

An optical device having a lens substrate and a microlens portion formed thereon, wherein the microlens has its lens portion formed on the part of the optical device that has substantially the same coefficient of expansion as that of the lens substrate.

Claims

1. In an optical device having a main substrate and a microlens formed thereon, wherein the microlens has a lens portion integrally formed on a lens substrate, said microlens being formed on said main substrate through a stamped adhesive layer and said main substrate having substantially the same coefficient of expansion as that of the lens substrate.

2. An optical device according to claim 1, wherein the lens portion is made of photosensitive resin.

3. An optical device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the stamped adhesive layer has a different index of refraction from that of the lens portion to shorten the focal length of the microlens.

4. An optical device according to claim 1, wherein the lens portion has substantially the same coefficient of expansion as that of the adhesive.

5. A process for producing a microlens, for use in combination with optical devices, the process comprising the steps of forming a photosensitive resin layer on a lens substrate, applying a light-permissive stamper to the photosensitive resin layer so as to shape the photosensitive layer into a lens portion, and curing the lens portion under the irradiation of ultra violet rays through the stamper, the stamper being shaped by a metal mother with photosensitive resin.