System, method, and computer-accessible medium for fabrication miniature endoscope using soft lithography

• US 9,415,550 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation), The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation), The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tearney, Guillermo J., Bouma, Brett Eugene, Kang, Dongkyun, Whitesides, George M., Martinez, Rames
• Primary Examiner(s): Tucker, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): WU, VICKI H
• Application Number:
  US14/422,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20150231841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 156/247
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00663 Production of light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00769 Producing diffraction gratings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/412 Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2551/00 Optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/18 involving the assembly of discrete sheets or panels only
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0008 Electrical discharge treatment, e.g. corona, plasma treatment; wave energy or particle radiation heat treatment B32B38/0036
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2469 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/26 using light guides for illumination G02B23/2469
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0087 with index gradient
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1852 using mechanical means, e.g. ruling with diamond tool, moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/1857 using exposure or etching means, e.g. holography, photolithography, exposure to electron or ion beams
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

Exemplary method and system can be implemented and/or used for providing a diffractive configuration in an optical arrangement can be provided. For example, an elastomeric material can be provided with at least one patterned surface. The elastomeric material can be connected with at least one portion of a waveguide arrangement using a pre-polymer adhesive composition. Further, the pre-polymer adhesive composition can be caused to polymerize so as to form the diffractive configuration which at least approximately replicate a structure or at least one feature of an elastomeric mold.

Claims

1. A method for providing a diffractive configuration in an optical arrangement, comprising:

providing an elastomeric material with at least one patterned surface;

connecting the elastomeric material with at least one portion of a waveguide arrangement using a pre-polymer adhesive composition; and

causing the pre-polymer adhesive composition to polymerize so as to form the diffractive configuration which at least approximately replicates a structure or at least one feature of the elastomeric material.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the diffractive configuration is a grating, or has at least one of (i) a diameter or a cross-section that is smaller than 1 mm, or (ii) at least one lens element.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing the elastomeric material from the optical arrangement.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical arrangement comprises at least one lens in optical communication with the diffractive configuration.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the elastomeric material comprises a hard elastomeric component and a soft back support.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the causing procedure includes applying at least one electro-magnetic radiation to the pre-polymer adhesive composition to be polymerized.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one electro-magnetic radiation is provided via the waveguide arrangement.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-polymer adhesive composition has a refractive index of between 1.3 and 1.7.

9. The method according to claim 2, wherein the grating has at least one of (i) a grove density that is larger than 1000 lines per mm, (ii) a grove aspect ratio that is larger than 1, or (iii) a diffraction efficiency that is larger than 70%.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the optical arrangement includes a GRIN lens.