Optical elements and methods for making thereof
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for making an optical element, comprising:
- (a) forming a first polymer pixel on a substrate, the first polymer pixel comprising a first polymer composition and a second polymer composition in a first ratio;
(b) forming a second polymer pixel adjoining the first polymer pixel, the second polymer pixel comprising the first polymer composition and the second polymer composition in a ratio that is different from the first ratio; and
(c) repeating steps (a)-(b) to thereby form a continuous film comprising a plurality of adjoining polymer pixels.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Optical elements are made using micro-jet printing methods to precisely control the type, position and amount of polymer deposited onto a substrate. In preferred embodiments, the proportions of two or more different polymer compositions are varied over the course of the deposition process to deposit adjoining polymer pixels in the form of a film on the substrate surface. The optical properties of each adjoining polymer pixel can be selected to provide a predetermined optical property, including a specific value of index of refraction. Preferably, the film has a radially non-monotonic refractive index profile and/or an angularly non-monotonic refractive index profile.
88 Citations
62 Claims
-
1. A method for making an optical element, comprising:
-
(a) forming a first polymer pixel on a substrate, the first polymer pixel comprising a first polymer composition and a second polymer composition in a first ratio;
(b) forming a second polymer pixel adjoining the first polymer pixel, the second polymer pixel comprising the first polymer composition and the second polymer composition in a ratio that is different from the first ratio; and
(c) repeating steps (a)-(b) to thereby form a continuous film comprising a plurality of adjoining polymer pixels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for making an optical element, comprising:
-
(a) positioning a first spray head and a second spray head at an operative distance from a substrate;
(b) projecting a first droplet from the first spray head onto a pre-selected location on the substrate to form a first deposited droplet, the first droplet comprising a first amount of a first polymer composition;
(c) projecting a second droplet from the second spray head onto the substrate in close proximity to the first deposited droplet, the second droplet comprising a second amount of a second polymer composition;
(d) forming a first polymer pixel on the substrate, the first polymer pixel comprising the first polymer composition and the second polymer composition in a first ratio;
(e) adjusting at least one of the first and second spray heads to allow an additional droplet to be projected, the additional droplet being different from at least one of the first and second droplets;
(f) adjusting the positioning of the first and second spray heads with respect to the substrate; and
(g) repeating steps (a)-(f) to thereby form a second polymer pixel adjoining the first polymer pixel, the second polymer pixel comprising the first polymer composition and the second polymer composition in a second ratio. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. A method for making an optical element, comprising:
-
(a) positioning a spray head an operative distance from a substrate;
(b) charging the spray head with a first polymer composition;
(c) projecting a first droplet from the spray head onto the substrate to form a first polymer pixel on the substrate;
(d) charging the spray head with a second polymer composition different from the first polymer composition;
(e) adjusting the positioning of the spray head with respect to the substrate; and
(f) projecting a second droplet from the spray head onto the substrate to form a second polymer pixel adjoining the first polymer pixel. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
-
Specification