Method for manufacture of optical element

• US 6,652,781 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kato, Hideo, Ogusu, Makoto, Maehara, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vargot, Mathieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/754,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20010002074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 264/1.1, 264/2.5, 264/1.7, 264/334, 264/1.9, 264/442, 264/1.32, 156/153, 427/133, 427/162
• US Class Current: 264/1.9
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00009 Production of simple or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00769 Producing diffraction gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/00 Simple or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1852 using mechanical means, e.g. ruling with diamond tool, moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70058 Mask illumination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70241 Optical aspects of refractive lens systems, i.e. comprising only refractive elements

Abstract

In a method for manufacture of an optical element, a thin film is formed on a surface, such as a grating surface, an aspherical surface or a spherical surface, formed on a mold. Then, a substrate is bonded to the thin film. Subsequently, the thin film and the substrate are separated from the mold.

Claims

1. A method for manufacture of an optical element comprising:

a) forming a thin film on a mold coated with a tungsten-molybdenum alloy film;

b) bonding a substrate to said thin film by a direct bonding process; and

c) separating said thin film and said substrate from said mold.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said thin film is a reflecting film.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said thin film is a multilayer film.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said multilayer film includes an antireflection film.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said optical element is a diffractive optical element.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said diffractive optical element is a binary optics element, an aspherical lens, or a spherical lens.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said thin film is formed by one of a CVD method, a vacuum vapor deposition method, a sputtering vapor deposition method, or an iron beam sputtering method.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said thin film is formed by an oxidized film forming method which comprises hydrolyzing a coating film of an organic metal compound selected from the group consisting of organic silicon, organic aluminum and organic titanium.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said thin film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, fluorite, metal oxide and fluoride.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said substrate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, fluorite, metal oxide and fluoride.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein said thin film and said substrate is separated from said mold using a method selected from the group consisting of (1) energizing said mold to heat said mold, said thin film and said substrate, (2) dipping said mold, said film and said substrate in an aqueous solution in which a surface active agent is added, and (3) putting an ultrasonic wave on said mold, said film and said substrate in said aqueous solution.

23. A method according to claim 1, wherein a binary optics lens having a design wavelength of 248 nm is formed.

11. A method for manufacture of an optical element comprising:

a) forming a thin film on a mold coated with a tungsten-molybdenum film;

b) polishing a surface of said thin film;

c) bonding a substrate to said thin film by a direct bonding process; and

d) separating said thin film and said substrate from said mold.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said thin film is a reflecting film.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said thin film is a multilayer film.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said multilayer film included a reflecting film or an antireflection film.

15. An optical element according to claim 11, wherein said optical element is a diffractive optical element.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said diffractive optical element is a binary optics element, an aspherical lens, or a spherical lens.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein said thin film is formed by one of a CVD method, a vacuum vapor deposition method, a sputtering vapor deposition method, or an ion beam sputtering method.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein said thin film is formed by an oxidized film forming method which comprises hydrolyzing a coating film of an organic metal compound selected from the group consisting of organic silicon, organic aluminum and organic titanium.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein said thin film is made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, fluorite, metal oxide and fluoride.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein said substrate is made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz, fluorite, metal oxide and fluoride.

22. A method according to claim 11, wherein said thin film and said substrate is separated from said mold using a method selected from the group consisting of (1) energizing said mold to heat said mold, said thin film and said substrate, (2) dipping said mold, said film and said substrate in an aqueous solution in which a surface active agent is added, and (3) putting an ultrasonic wave on said mold, said film and said substrate in said aqueous solution.

24. A method according to claim 11, wherein a binary optics lens having a design wavelength of 248 nm is formed.