Microlens array substrate, method of manufacturing the same, and display device

• US 6,909,121 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, W. David
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM D
• Application Number:
  US10/406,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20030207484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 257/88, 257/91, 257/98, 438/29, 438/30, 438/65, 438/69, 438/27
• US Class Current: 257/88
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0031 Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a microlens array substrate is provided comprising the steps of: closely providing a substrate precursor (30) between a first master mold (10) having a plurality of curved surfaces (12) and a second master mold (20) having a plurality of projections (22) to form a substrate (32) having a plurality of lenses (34) formed by the curved surfaces (12) and recesses (36) formed by the projections (22); removing the first and second master molds (10, 20) from the substrate (32); and filling the recesses (36) with a shading material (42) after the second master mold (20) is removed.

Claims

1. A microlens array substrate comprising:

a substrate having two surfaces on opposite sides thereof, one of the surfaces being formed with a plurality of lenses, the other of the surfaces being formed with a plurality of recesses such that each of the recesses is offset from the center of each of the lenses; and

a shading layer formed in the recesses.

2. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 1, further comprising a protective film on at least one of the lenses and the shading layer.

3. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 2, further comprising a reinforcing plate on the protective film.

4. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 1,

wherein at least part of an inner surface of each of the recesses is tapered such that an opening portion is wider than a bottom portion.

5. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 4, wherein only the opening portion of the inner surface is tapered.

6. A display device comprising the microlens array substrate as defined in claim 1, and a light source which emits light toward the microlens array substrate,

wherein the microlens array substrate is placed such that a surface on which the ienses are formed faces the light source.

7. The display device as defined in claim 6,

wherein the relation between the light refractive index “

na”

of the material forming the microlens array substrate and the light refractive index “

nb”

outside the lenses is “

na>

nb”

, when the lenses are convex lenses.

8. The display device as defined in claim 6,

wherein the relation between the light refractive index “

na”

of the material forming the microlens array substrate and the light refractive index “

nb”

outside the lenses is “

na<

nb”

, when the lenses are concave lenses.

9. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the recesses dents towards the surface on which the lenses are formed.

10. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein the lenses are convex lenses.

11. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein the lenses are concave lenses.

12. A microlens array substrate comprising:

a substrate having two surfaces on opposite sides thereof, one of the surfaces being formed with a plurality of lenses, the other of the surfaces being formed with a plurality of recesses such that each of the recesses avoids being positioned right above the center of each of the lenses; and

a shading layer formed in the recesses, the shading layer including a solvent in which a black dye or black pigment is dissolved together with a binder resin.

13. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 12,

wherein the solvent includes water or an organic solvent.

14. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 13,

wherein the organic solvent includes at least one of a group of propvlene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, propylene glycol monopropvl ether, methoxymethyl propionate, ethoxyethyl propionate, ethyl cellosolve, ethyl cellosolve acetate, ethyl lactate, ethyl pyruvinate, methyl amvl ketone, cyclohexanone, xylene, toluene and butyl acetate.

15. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 12, wherein each of the recesses dents towards the surface on which the lenses are formed.

16. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 12, wherein the lenses are convex lenses.

17. The microlens array substrate as defined in claim 12, wherein the lenses are concave lenses.