Micro lens and fabrication method of micro lens, optical device, optical transmitter, laser printer head, and laser printer

• US 7,145,725 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Hasei, Hironori, Kito, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US10/902,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• Field of Search: 359/811, 359/819, 359/619, 359/808, 359/711, 359/712, 264/2.3, 264/2.4, 264/2.5, 264/2.6, 264/1.7, 264/1.38, 347/2, 347/20, 347/37, 347/40, 347/53, 347/106, 347/1, 347/71, 428/428, 428/430, 427/162, 427/163.2, 427/256, 427/279
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/00 Simple or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/04072 by laser
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0404 Laser

Abstract

A micro lens is provided with proper optical characteristics, such as a condensing function. Furthermore, a fabrication method of a micro lens is provided as well as, an optical device, an optical transmitter, a laser printer head, and a laser printer. The micro lens is equipped with a lens member formed by a liquid droplet ejection method, including: a base member formed on a substrate, a lens member formed on an upper surface of the above-mentioned base member to which the lens material is ejected in a plurality of dots by the liquid droplet ejection method, the upper surface of the base member having a concavity and a convexity with at least a part of the upper surface of the base member being subjected to repellant treatment.

Claims

1. A micro lens comprising:

a substrate;

a base member formed on the substrate, the base member defines an upper surface, the upper surface of the base member having a concavity and a convexity with at least a part of the upper surface of the base member being subjected to repellant treatment; and

a lens member formed by a liquid droplet ejection method,

the lens member being formed on the upper surface of the base member to which a lens material is ejected in a plurality of dots by the liquid droplet ejection method.

2. The micro lens according to claim 1, further comprising:

a convexity on the upper surface of the base member.

3. The micro lens according to claim 2, further comprising:

a disengagement preventing device being provided on the convexity on the upper surface of the base member to prevent the lens member from disengaging from the convexity.

4. The micro lens according to claim 3:

the disengagement preventing device having a shape of the convexity which is formed of a portion of a minimum cross-sectional area of the convexity and a portion of the convexity of a larger cross-sectional area than the minimum cross-sectional area which is above the portion of the minimum cross-sectional area relative to the upper surface of the base member.

5. The micro lens according to claim 3:

the disengagement preventing device being a lyophilic portion formed on at least a part of the convexity of the base member.

6. The micro lens according to claim 1:

a shape of the upper surface of the base member being an elliptic, a circle or a polygon.

7. The micro lens according to claim 1:

the base member having transparency.

8. An optical device, comprising:

a plane light-emitting laser; and

the micro lens according to claim 1, the micro lens being disposed at a light-emitting side of the plane light-emitting laser.

9. An optical transmitter, comprising:

the optical device according to claim 8;

a light receiving element; and

a light transmission device to transmit light emitted from the optical device to the light receiving element.

10. A laser printer head, comprising:

the optical device according to claim 8.

11. A laser printer, comprising:

the laser printer head according to claim 10.

12. A fabrication method of a micro lens having a lens member formed by a liquid droplet ejection method, comprising:

forming on a substrate a base member having a shape of a concavity and a convexity on a surface thereof;

applying repellent treatment to at least a part of the upper surface of the base member; and

ejecting a lens material in a plurality of dots by the liquid droplet ejection method to the upper surface of the base member and forming a lens member on the upper surface of the base member.