Optically oriented three-dimensional polymer microstructures
First Claim
1. A system for forming a plurality of polymer waveguides, the system comprising:
- at least one collimated light source adapted to produce a plurality of collimated light beams;
a reservoir having a volume of photo-monomer adapted to polymerize by the collimated light beams; and
a mask disposed between the at least one collimated light source and the reservoir, the mask extending along a single plane and having at least one aperture adapted to guide a first beam, a second beam and a third beam of the collimated light beams into the photo-monomer to respectively form a first waveguide, a second waveguide and a third waveguide of the polymer waveguides in a portion of the volume of the photo-monomer,wherein the first beam is directed at a first angle with respect to the single plane,wherein the second beam is directed at a second angle with respect to the single plane, the second angle being different from the first angle,wherein the third beam is directed at a third angle with respect to the single plane, the third angle being different from the first angle and the second angle,wherein the first waveguide forms a fourth angle with respect to the single plane, the fourth angle corresponding to the first angle,wherein the second waveguide forms a fifth angle with respect to the single plane, the fifth angle corresponding to the second angle,wherein the third waveguide forms a sixth angle with respect to the single plane, the sixth angle corresponding to the third angle, andwherein the first waveguide, the second waveguide and the third waveguide intersect each other at the at least one aperture.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system of creating one or more waveguides and/or patterning these waveguides to form a 3D microstructure that uses mask and collimated light. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one collimated light source selected to produce a collimated light beam; a reservoir having a photo-monomer adapted to polymerize by the collimated light beam; and a mask having at least one aperture and positioned between the at least one collimated light source and the reservoir. Here, the at least one aperture is adapted to guide a portion of the collimated light beam into the photo-monomer to form the at least one polymer waveguide through a portion of a volume of the photo-monomer.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for forming a plurality of polymer waveguides, the system comprising:
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at least one collimated light source adapted to produce a plurality of collimated light beams; a reservoir having a volume of photo-monomer adapted to polymerize by the collimated light beams; and a mask disposed between the at least one collimated light source and the reservoir, the mask extending along a single plane and having at least one aperture adapted to guide a first beam, a second beam and a third beam of the collimated light beams into the photo-monomer to respectively form a first waveguide, a second waveguide and a third waveguide of the polymer waveguides in a portion of the volume of the photo-monomer, wherein the first beam is directed at a first angle with respect to the single plane, wherein the second beam is directed at a second angle with respect to the single plane, the second angle being different from the first angle, wherein the third beam is directed at a third angle with respect to the single plane, the third angle being different from the first angle and the second angle, wherein the first waveguide forms a fourth angle with respect to the single plane, the fourth angle corresponding to the first angle, wherein the second waveguide forms a fifth angle with respect to the single plane, the fifth angle corresponding to the second angle, wherein the third waveguide forms a sixth angle with respect to the single plane, the sixth angle corresponding to the third angle, and wherein the first waveguide, the second waveguide and the third waveguide intersect each other at the at least one aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 22)
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11. A method for forming a plurality of polymer waveguides, the method comprising:
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securing a volume of a photo-monomer; placing a mask between at least one collimated light source and the volume of the photo-monomer, the mask extending along a single plane and having at least one aperture; and directing a plurality of collimated light beams, the collimated light beams including first, second and third collimated light beams, from the at least one collimated light source toward the at least one aperture to respectively form first, second and third waveguides of the polymer waveguides in a portion of the volume of the photo-monomer, wherein the first collimated light beam is directed at a first angle with respect to the single plane, wherein the second collimated light beam is directed at a second angle with respect to the single plane, the second angle being different from the first angle, wherein the third collimated light beam is directed at a third angle with respect to the single plane, the third angle being different from the first angle and the second angle, wherein the first waveguide forms a fourth angle with respect to the single plane, the fourth angle corresponding to the first angle, wherein the second waveguide forms a fifth angle with respect to the single plane, the fifth angle corresponding to the second angle, wherein the third waveguide forms a sixth angle with respect to the single plane, the sixth angle corresponding to the third angle, and wherein the first, second and third waveguides intersect each other at the at least one aperture. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23)
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21. A method for forming a plurality of patterned polymer waveguides, the method comprising:
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securing a volume of a photo-monomer; and directing a plurality of light beams from at least one light source through a plurality of apertures of a mask disposed above the volume of the photo-monomer, the mask extending along a single plane, and to the photo-monomer to concurrently form the plurality of patterned polymer waveguides in a portion of the volume of the photo-monomer, wherein the patterned polymer waveguides intersect each other at a plurality of concurrently formed intersection regions located within the volume of the photo-monomer.
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Specification