Method of manufacturing micro-lens array, electrolyte and manufacturing apparatus used therefor

• US 6,707,612 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Shimizu, Keishi, Yatsuda, Kazutoshi, Ohtsu, Shigemi, Akutsu, Eiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Spector, David N.
• Application Number:
  US10/238,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 359/619, 359/620, 430/7, 430/31, 430/321
• US Class Current: 359/620
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/024 using locally applied electromagnetic radiation, e.g. lasers
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 9/00 Electrolytic coating other than with metals C25D11/00, C25D15/00 take precedence; electrophoretic coating C25D13/00
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 9/02 with organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0012 characterised by the manufacturing method

Abstract

A method includes the steps of disposing a substrate having a conductive thin film and a photo-semiconductor thin film in this order on an insulative base in an aqueous electrolyte material that solubility is lowered by a change of pH, irradiating with light a selected region of the photo-semiconductor thin film and precipitating the material to the selected region of the photo-semiconductor thin film to form a micro-lens array layer.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a micro-lens array comprising the steps of:

disposing a substrate having a conductive thin film and a photo-semiconductor thin film in this order on an insulative base in an aqueous electrolyte containing a film-forming material of which solubility or dispersibility to an aqueous liquid is lowered by a change of pH, with the photo-semiconductor thin film being in contact with an electrolyte;

irradiating with light a selected region of the photo-semiconductor thin film to apply a voltage between the photo-semiconductor thin film in the selected region and a counter electrode; and

precipitating the material to the selected region of the photo-semiconductor thin film to form a micro-lens array layer.

3. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 1,

wherein the selected region of the photo-semiconductor thin film is irradiated with light through a photo-mask.

4. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 3,

wherein the photo-mask has a gradation for light transmittance in a light-permeable portion.

5. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 1,

wherein the selected region of the photo-semiconductor thin film is irradiated with a laser beam.

6. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 5,

wherein the laser beam has an intensity distribution that changes in accordance with a predetermined lens shape pattern.

7. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 5,

wherein the laser beam is a Gaussian beam.

8. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 1,

wherein the photo-semiconductor thin film is a titanium oxide thin film.

9. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 8,

wherein the thin titanium oxide film contains an anatase type crystal structure.

10. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 1,

wherein fine inorganic oxide particles having light permeability and a high refractive index are dispersed in the electrolyte.

11. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 10,

wherein the fine inorganic oxide particles are rutile type fine titanium oxide particles.

12. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 1,

wherein the film-forming material is a polymeric material having carboxyl groups.

13. The method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

applying heat treatment to the precipitated and formed micro-lens array layer;

disposing an anti-reflection film on the micro-lens array; and

carrying out both of the above steps as necessary.

14. An electrolyte for use in the method of manufacturing a micro-lens array according to claim 1, the electrolyte comprising:

a film-forming material of which solubility or dispersibility to an aqueous liquid is lowered by a change of pH,

wherein the film-forming material is a polymeric material having hydrophobic groups and hydrophilic groups with a number of the hydrophobic groups being within a range from 30 to 80% for a total number of the hydrophilic group and hydrophobic groups.

15. The electrolyte according to claim 14, further comprising fine inorganic oxide particles having light permeability and a high refractive index.

2. A method of manufacturing a micro-lens array comprising the steps of:

disposing a substrate in which a conductive thin film and a photo-semiconductor thin film in contact with the conductive thin film are formed on an insulative base and the conductive thin film is in electrical conduction with an electrolyte to an aqueous electrolyte containing a film-forming material of which solubility or dispersibility to an aqueous liquid is lowered by a change of pH, with the photo-semiconductor thin film being in contact with the electrolyte;

irradiating with light a selected region of the photo-semiconductor thin film in a state where the photo-conductive thin film is in electrical conduction with the electrolyte; and

precipitating the material to the selected region of the photo-semiconductor thin film to form a micro-lens array layer.

16. An apparatus for manufacturing a micro-lens array, comprising:

an exposure device having at least a light source for applying light and a focusing optical system having a first focusing optical lens and a second focusing optical lens;

a photo-mask interposed between the first focusing optical lens and the second focusing optical lens;

a counter electrode;

a unit capable of applying a bias voltage; and

an electrodeposition vessel containing an electrolyte,

wherein a micro-lens array preparing substrate is disposed in the electrodeposition vessel such that at least a photo-semiconductor thin film thereof is in contact with the electrolyte.

17. An apparatus for manufacturing a micro-lens array, comprising:

an exposure device having at least a light source for applying light and a mirror reflection optical system;

a counter electrode;

a unit capable of applying a bias voltage; and

an electrodeposition vessel containing an electrolyte,

wherein a micro-lens array preparing substrate is disposed in the electrodeposition vessel such that at least a photo-semiconductor thin film thereof is in contact with the electrolyte.

18. An apparatus for manufacturing a micro-lens array, comprising:

a parallel irradiation type or close contact type exposure device;

a counter electrode;

a unit capable of applying a bias voltage; and

an electrodeposition vessel containing an electrolyte,

wherein a micro-lens array preparing substrate is disposed in the electrodeposition vessel such that at least a photo-semiconductor thin film thereof is in contact with the electrolyte.

19. An apparatus for manufacturing a micro-lens array, comprising:

a laser beam exposure device;

a counter electrode;

a unit capable of applying a bias voltage; and

an electrodeposition vessel containing an electrolyte,

wherein a micro-lens array preparing substrate is disposed in the electrodeposition vessel such that at least a photo-semiconductor thin film thereof is in contact with the electrolyte.

20. An optical part comprising:

a conductive thin film disposed on an insulative base;

a photo-semiconductor thin film disposed in contact with the conductive thin film; and

a lens formed on the photo-semiconductor thin film.

21. An optical part according to claim 20,

wherein a number of the lenses are plurally disposed.