Apparatus for fabricating an optical waveguide array and method for fabricating an optical waveguide array

Abstract

This invention discloses an apparatus and method for fabricating optical waveguide arrays. The fabrication apparatus includes a housing, a mold, a glue injection component, a coating assembly, and at least one light source. The housing has a receiving cavity and an air inlet and an air outlet communicating with the receiving cavity. The mold is disposed within the receiving cavity, and an opening is formed on one side of the mold in the height direction. One end of the glue injection component extends into the receiving cavity and faces the opening. The coating assembly is disposed within the receiving cavity and faces the mold. The light source is disposed above the opening, and the light emitted by the light source illuminates the mold. The fabrication apparatus for optical waveguide arrays according to this invention can avoid deformation caused by curing stress when using adhesives in optical waveguide arrays, and can adjust the horizontal level of the optical waveguide array, thereby improving optical imaging quality and making the optical waveguide array more versatile.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical waveguide array technology, and in particular to an apparatus and method for fabricating optical waveguide arrays. Background Technology

[0002] Aerial imaging technology refers to the use of negative refractive plate lenses to present real images in air without a medium. These negative refractive plate lenses are composed of a combination of many optical waveguide arrays.

[0003] In related technologies, optical waveguide arrays are often constructed by bonding stacked flat glass panels together with polymer adhesives. However, during the bonding process, the polymer adhesives often have poor affinity with the flat glass surfaces, easily generating stress on both surfaces and potentially leading to bonding deformation. For optical components, both intrinsic deformation and bonding deformation can cause image distortion or distortion, severely affecting the imaging quality of the optical waveguide array and reducing the user's visual experience. Furthermore, the overall bonding process cannot adjust the levelness between the flat glass panels; poor levelness can severely lead to image stripes or misalignment. Compared to polymer materials, glass is more fragile, denser, and more expensive, significantly limiting the application of optical waveguide arrays. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, one object of the present invention is to provide a fabrication apparatus for optical waveguide arrays that can avoid deformation caused by curing stress when using adhesives for optical waveguide arrays, and can adjust the horizontal level of the optical waveguide arrays, thereby improving optical imaging quality and making the optical waveguide arrays more versatile.

[0005] Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for fabricating an optical waveguide array.

[0006] An apparatus for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a housing having a receiving cavity and an air inlet and an air outlet communicating with the receiving cavity; a mold disposed within the receiving cavity, an opening formed on one side of the mold in the height direction; a glue injection component, one end of which extends into the receiving cavity and is opposite to the opening; a coating assembly disposed within the receiving cavity and opposite to the mold; and at least one light source disposed above the opening, the light source illuminating the mold with light emitted from it.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for fabricating an optical waveguide array comprises a mold, a coating assembly, and a light source component disposed within a housing cavity, with one end of an adhesive injection component extending into the housing cavity. Thus, during processing, alternating photosensitive resin substrates and reflective films can be formed within the mold to create an optical waveguide array. This avoids deformation caused by curing stress when using adhesives in the optical waveguide array, and allows adjustment of the horizontal level of the optical waveguide array, thereby improving optical imaging quality and enhancing the applicability of the optical waveguide array.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the coating assembly includes: a cathode element disposed on one end of the injection molding member; a target material disposed on one end of the injection molding member, and the target material being located on the side of the cathode element adjacent to the opening; and an anode element disposed on the side of the mold away from the target material.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the dispensing component includes a glue tank and a feed pipe, one end of the feed pipe extends into the receiving cavity, the other end of the feed pipe is connected to the glue tank, and scale lines are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the glue tank.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the cross-sectional area of ​​the rubber hopper gradually increases in the direction away from the feed pipe.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the feed pipe is provided with a feed valve for controlling the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity and the rubber hopper; the air inlet is provided with an air inlet valve for controlling the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity and the air inlet; and the air outlet is provided with an air outlet valve for controlling the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity and the air outlet.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the mold is a transparent mold, and the material of the transparent mold includes at least one of polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, glass, transparent ceramics or inorganic non-metals.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a vacuum pump is provided outside the receiving cavity for evacuating the interior of the mold.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, there are multiple light sources, and the multiple light sources are arranged at circumferential intervals along the opening.

[0015] A method for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to a second aspect of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0016] S1. Injection treatment: Liquid photosensitive resin is injected into the mold of the preparation device, wherein the preparation device is the preparation device according to the first aspect embodiment above;

[0017] S2. Curing process: Turn on the light source of the preparation device, and let the light emitted by the light source shine on the liquid photosensitive resin, so that the liquid photosensitive resin is cured into a photosensitive resin substrate;

[0018] S3. Coating process: The coating component of the preparation device is operated, and argon gas is introduced into the preparation device to form a reflective film on the surface of the photosensitive resin substrate.

[0019] S4. Repeat steps S1 to S3 to obtain the optical waveguide substrate.

[0020] According to the fabrication method of the optical waveguide array of the present invention, a photosensitive resin substrate and a reflective film are formed through a resin injection process, a curing process, and a coating process. Therefore, compared with traditional optical waveguide array fabrication methods, the horizontal level of each photosensitive resin substrate can be adjusted, resulting in strong controllability and reduced potential stress and strain, thereby improving the imaging quality of the optical waveguide array and enhancing the user's visual experience.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the method further includes the following steps after step S1 and before step S2:

[0022] S11. Degassing treatment: Start the vacuum pump of the preparation device to evacuate the inside of the mold to remove air bubbles in the liquid photosensitive resin.

[0023] S12. Let the liquid photosensitive resin stand for a predetermined time.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the method further includes the following steps before step S1:

[0025] S0. Apply a release agent to the inner wall of the mold.

[0026] According to some embodiments of the present invention, step S4 is followed by:

[0027] S5. Demold the optical waveguide substrate and cut the demolded optical waveguide substrate to obtain multiple optical waveguide array substrates;

[0028] S6. Grinding and polishing the original optical waveguide array to obtain the optical waveguide array.

[0029] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid photosensitive resin is composed of a photosensitive resin prepolymer, which includes at least one of unsaturated polyester prepolymer, acrylate prepolymer, epoxy resin prepolymer, silicone resin prepolymer, epoxy acrylate prepolymer, polyurethane acrylate prepolymer, polyester acrylate prepolymer, and polyether acrylate prepolymer.

[0030] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the material of the reflective film includes at least one selected from aluminum, silver, copper, gold, chromium, platinum, silicon monoxide, magnesium fluoride, silicon dioxide, and aluminum oxide.

[0031] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the thickness of the photosensitive resin substrate is D, wherein D satisfies: 0.1mm≤D≤1mm.

[0032] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a preparation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a method for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the demolding process of an optical waveguide array according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the grinding and polishing process of an optical waveguide array according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure label:

[0039] 100. Preparation apparatus;

[0040] 1. Housing; 11. Receiving cavity; 12. Air inlet; 121. Air inlet valve; 13. Air outlet; 131. Air outlet valve; 2. Mold; 21. Opening; 3. Injection part; 31. Glue tank; 311. Scale line; 32. Feed pipe; 321. Feed valve; 4. Coating assembly; 41. Cathode; 42. Target material; 43. Anode; 5. Light source; 6. Sputtered atoms; 61. Reflective film; 7. Vacuum pump; 8. Photosensitive resin substrate; 9. Argon ions; 10. Optical waveguide substrate; 101. Optical waveguide array. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The following is for reference. Figures 1-4 An apparatus 100 for fabricating an optical waveguide array 101 according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention is described.

[0042] like Figures 1-4 As shown, the fabrication apparatus 100 for an optical waveguide array 101 according to a first aspect embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 1, a mold 2, a glue injection component 3, a coating component 4, and at least one light source component 5.

[0043] Specifically, the housing 1 has a receiving cavity 11 and an air inlet 12 and an air outlet 13 communicating with the receiving cavity 11. The mold 2 is disposed within the receiving cavity 11, and an opening 21 is formed on one side of the mold 2 in the height direction. One end of the injection molding component 3 extends into the receiving cavity 11 and is opposite to the opening 21. The coating assembly 4 is disposed within the receiving cavity 11 and is opposite to the mold 2. The light source 5 is disposed above the opening 21, and the light emitted by the light source 5 illuminates the mold 2.

[0044] For example, in Figure 1 In the example, the air inlet 12 and the air outlet 13 are respectively located in the width direction of the housing 1 (e.g., Figure 1 On both sides of the left and right direction of the housing 1, and the air inlet 12 and the air outlet 13 are in the height direction of the housing 1 (for example, in the left and right direction). Figure 1 The components are staggered in the vertical direction. The mold 2 is placed in the receiving cavity 11, and the opening 21 is formed on the upper side wall of the mold 2. One end of the injection part 3 extends into the receiving cavity 11 from the center of the upper side wall of the housing 1, and the aforementioned end of the injection part 3 is located above the opening 21 of the mold 2. The coating assembly 4 is provided on both sides of the mold 2 in the height direction. The light source 5 is provided on the inner wall of the housing 1 and located above the opening 21, so that the light emitted by the light source 5 can illuminate the mold 2. The light emitted by the light source 5 can be ultraviolet light or visible light.

[0045] When the fabrication apparatus 100 is running, liquid photosensitive resin is first injected into the mold 2 through the injection part 3 and the opening 21. Then, the light source 5 is turned on to irradiate the mold 2, causing the liquid photosensitive resin to solidify into a photosensitive resin substrate 8. Subsequently, a reflective film is formed on the surface of the photosensitive resin substrate 8 through the coating assembly 4. The above steps are repeated to form the optical waveguide array 101. This configuration ensures that the formed photosensitive resin substrate 8 has a uniform thickness and eliminates the need for an adhesive process, thereby avoiding stress and strain between the photosensitive resin substrate 8 and the adhesive. This improves the strength and stability of the photosensitive resin substrate 8, and consequently, when the optical waveguide array 101 is applied to the imaging device 100, it can improve the imaging quality of the optical waveguide array 101, thus enhancing the user's visual experience.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the fabrication apparatus 100 for an optical waveguide array 101 comprises a mold 2, a coating assembly 4, and a light source 5 disposed within a receiving cavity 11 of a housing 1, with one end of an adhesive injection component 3 extending into the receiving cavity 11. Thus, during processing, alternating photosensitive resin substrates 8 and reflective films 61 can be formed in the mold 2 to form the optical waveguide array 101. This avoids deformation due to curing stress when using adhesives in the optical waveguide array 101, and allows adjustment of the horizontal level of the optical waveguide array 101, thereby improving optical imaging quality and making the optical waveguide array 101 highly adaptable.

[0047] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the coating assembly 4 includes a cathode 41, a target 42, and an anode 43. The cathode 41 is sleeved on one end of the injection molding assembly 3. The target 42 is sleeved on the aforementioned end of the injection molding assembly 3, and the target 42 is located on the side of the cathode 41 adjacent to the opening 21. The anode 43 is located on the side of the mold 2 away from the target 42. Figure 1 As shown, both the cathode 41 and the target 42 are fitted onto one end of the injection molding component 3 located within the receiving cavity 11. The cathode 41 and the target 42 are arranged along the height direction of the housing 1, with the cathode 41 positioned above the target 42, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the target 42 being smaller than that of the cathode 41. The anode 43 is located below the mold 2 and contacts the bottom wall of the mold 2, meaning the mold 2 is located between the target 42 and the anode 43. When the coating assembly 4 is opened, an electric or magnetic field is generated between the cathode 41 and the anode 43. Inert gas atoms bombard the target 42 under the influence of the electric and magnetic fields, causing sputtered atoms 6 to be excited and deposited into the mold 2, thereby forming a reflective film 61. This arrangement ensures a tighter and stronger bond between the formed reflective film 61 and the photosensitive resin substrate 8, preventing stress and strain.

[0048] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the dispensing component 3 includes a glue tank 31 and a feed pipe 32. One end of the feed pipe 32 extends into the receiving cavity 11, and the other end of the feed pipe 32 communicates with the glue tank 31. Scale lines 311 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the glue tank 31. (Refer to...) Figure 1The adhesive container 31 and the feed pipe 32 are arranged along the height of the receiving cavity 11. A portion of the feed pipe 32 is located outside the housing 1, and the other portion is located inside the receiving cavity 11. The adhesive container 31 is located at the end of the feed pipe 32 furthest from the housing 1, and the adhesive container 31 and the feed pipe 32 are connected. The scale line 311 on the adhesive container 31 can be used to control the amount of material loaded. For example, when liquid photosensitive resin enters the mold 2 through the injection part 3, the liquid photosensitive resin is first injected into the adhesive container 31, and the amount of liquid photosensitive resin injected is determined by the scale line 311 on the adhesive container 31. Then, the liquid photosensitive resin is allowed to enter the mold 2 through the feed pipe 32. Thus, the amount of liquid photosensitive resin can be accurately controlled, ensuring that the thickness of each layer of photosensitive resin substrate 8 is equal, thereby ensuring the imaging quality of the optical waveguide array 101.

[0049] Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the rubber hopper 31 gradually increases in the direction away from the feed pipe 32. For example, in Figure 1 In the example, the cross-sectional shape of the adhesive container 31 is approximately an inverted isosceles trapezoid. This arrangement facilitates the flow of liquid photosensitive resin from the adhesive container 31 to the feed pipe 32, preventing the liquid photosensitive resin from splashing out.

[0050] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a feed valve 321 is provided on the feed pipe 32 for controlling the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity 11 and the rubber hopper 31; an air inlet valve 121 is provided at the air inlet 12 for controlling the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity 11 and the air inlet 12; and an air outlet valve 131 is provided at the air outlet 13 for controlling the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity 11 and the air outlet 13. Figure 1 As shown, the feed valve 321 is located at the end of the feed pipe 32 near the rubber hopper 31. Opening the feed valve 321 allows the liquid photosensitive resin in the rubber hopper 31 to flow into the mold, while closing the feed valve 321 isolates the receiving cavity 11 from the outside. The air inlet valve 121 is located on the air inlet 12, and the air outlet valve 131 is located on the air outlet 13. Thus, the amount of air in the receiving cavity 11, i.e., the pressure in the receiving cavity 11, can be controlled by the feed valve 321, the air inlet valve 121, and the air outlet valve 131.

[0051] In some optional embodiments, mold 2 is a transparent mold 2, and the material of transparent mold 2 includes at least one selected from polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, glass, transparent ceramics, or inorganic non-metals. This configuration allows the transparent mold to completely transmit the light emitted by the light source 5 through mold 2, illuminating the liquid photosensitive resin inside mold 2, ensuring uniform illumination of the liquid photosensitive resin, and improving the curing efficiency of the liquid photosensitive resin. Simultaneously, transparent molds made from the above materials can enhance the heat resistance and fatigue resistance of mold 2, and also exhibit good stability and insulation properties.

[0052] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a vacuum pump 7 is provided outside the receiving cavity 11 for evacuating the interior of the mold 2. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the vacuum pump 7 is located on the side of the housing 1 near the air outlet 13. The vacuum pump 7 is connected to the air outlet 13, so that the air in the housing 11 can be extracted by the vacuum pump 7 through the air outlet 13, thereby also extracting the gas in the liquid photosensitive resin in the mold 2, so that the liquid photosensitive resin forms a smooth liquid surface, which is beneficial to improving the horizontal level of the optical waveguide array 101.

[0053] According to some embodiments of the present invention, there are multiple light source elements 5; in the description of the present invention, "multiple" means two or more. The multiple light source elements 5 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the opening 21. For example, in... Figure 1 In the example, there are two light sources 5, which are located above each of the two sides of the mold 2 in the width direction. When the light sources 5 are working, the ultraviolet light or visible light emitted by the light sources 5 irradiates the mold 2, and the liquid photosensitive resin in the mold 2 is uniformly illuminated, thereby enabling the liquid photosensitive resin to quickly solidify into a photosensitive resin substrate 8, further improving the curing efficiency.

[0054] The method for fabricating an optical waveguide array 101 according to a second aspect embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:

[0055] S1. Injection treatment: Liquid photosensitive resin is injected into the mold 2 of the preparation apparatus 100, which is the preparation apparatus 100 according to the first aspect embodiment described above. For example, in Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the example, firstly, liquid photosensitive resin is injected into the adhesive container 31, and the amount of liquid photosensitive resin is controlled according to the scale line 311 on the adhesive container 31. Then, the feed valve 321 on the feed pipe 32 is opened, allowing the liquid photosensitive resin to enter the mold 2 through the feed pipe 32. After the required amount of liquid photosensitive resin has been injected into the mold 2, the feed valve 321 and the air inlet valve 121 are closed.

[0056] S2. Curing process: The light source 5 of the preparation device 100 is turned on, and the light emitted by the light source 5 irradiates the liquid photosensitive resin, so that the liquid photosensitive resin is cured into a photosensitive resin substrate 8. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the two light sources 5 irradiate the liquid photosensitive resin for 5 to 10 minutes. After being irradiated by the light emitted by the light sources 5, the liquid photosensitive resin is cured to form a photosensitive resin substrate 8. Uniform irradiation allows the photosensitive resin substrate 8 to be cured quickly and completely, increasing the curing efficiency.

[0057] S3. Coating treatment: The coating component 4 of the preparation apparatus 100 is operated, and argon gas is introduced into the preparation apparatus 100 to form a reflective film 61 on the surface of the photosensitive resin substrate 8. (Refer to...) Figure 1 and Figure 2 Open the inlet valve 121 and close the outlet valve 131 and feed valve 321 to allow argon gas to enter the receiving cavity 11 through the inlet 12. Operate the coating assembly 4, and an electric field is formed between the cathode 41 and the anode 43. Argon atoms are ionized under the action of the electric field to generate argon ions 9. Argon ions 9 fly rapidly towards the target material 42 under the action of the electric field and bombard the target material 42 with high energy, exciting sputtered atoms 6. Sputtered atoms 6 are deposited on the surface of the photosensitive resin substrate 8, thereby forming a reflective film 61.

[0058] At this point, the reflective film 61 is a compact and flat nanoscale reflective film. In addition, argon, as an inert gas, can ensure that the sputtered atoms 6 and the photosensitive resin substrate 8 will not undergo oxidation when heated in a vacuum, thus ensuring that the reflective film 61 can be successfully formed on the photosensitive resin substrate 8.

[0059] Optionally, the sputtering method of sputtered atoms 6 is a top-down sputtering method such as DC sputtering, magnetron sputtering, radio frequency sputtering, or ion beam sputtering, and the sputtered atoms 6 are deposited to form a reflective film 61 through one of the above methods.

[0060] S4. Repeat steps S1 to S3 to obtain the optical waveguide substrate 10. By continuing to repeat steps S1 to S3, the photosensitive resin substrate 8 and the reflective film 61 are stacked layer by layer in the mold 2 to form the optical waveguide substrate 10.

[0061] According to the fabrication method of the optical waveguide array 101 of the present invention, a photosensitive resin substrate 8 and a reflective film 61 are formed through a resin injection process, a curing process, and a coating process. Therefore, compared with the conventional fabrication method of the optical waveguide array 101, the horizontal level of each photosensitive resin substrate 8 can be adjusted, providing strong controllability and reducing potential stress and strain, thereby improving the imaging quality of the optical waveguide array 101 and enhancing the user's visual experience.

[0062] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the method further includes the following steps after step S1 and before step S2:

[0063] S11. Degassing treatment: Start the vacuum pump 7 of the preparation apparatus 100 to evacuate the interior of the mold 2 to remove air bubbles from the liquid photosensitive resin. After turning on the vacuum pump 7, the gas in the receiving cavity 11 is extracted through the gas outlet 13 and the vacuum pump 7, making the receiving cavity 11 a vacuum state. The above vacuuming process can last for 10 to 20 minutes. During the vacuuming process, air bubbles in the liquid photosensitive resin can be extracted, making the surface of the liquid photosensitive resin a bubble-free and smooth liquid surface, thereby ensuring that the refractive index of the cured photosensitive resin substrate 8 is good and improving the imaging stability.

[0064] S12. Allow the photosensitive resin prepolymer to stand for a predetermined time. For example, the liquid photosensitive resin can be allowed to stand for 3 to 5 minutes, thereby forming a smooth liquid surface on the surface of the liquid photosensitive resin to improve the levelness of the photosensitive resin substrate 8.

[0065] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the method further includes the following steps before step S1:

[0066] S0. Apply a release agent to the inner wall of mold 2. After the optical waveguide substrate 10 is fully formed in mold 2, it needs to be removed from mold 2. In order to make the optical waveguide substrate 10 easier to remove from mold 2, a release agent can be applied to the inner wall of mold 2 in advance, so that the entire optical waveguide substrate 10 can be quickly removed from mold 2, preventing damage to the optical waveguide substrate 10 during the demolding process.

[0067] According to some embodiments of the present invention, step S4 is followed by:

[0068] S5. Demold the optical waveguide substrate 10 and cut the demolded optical waveguide substrate 10 to obtain multiple optical waveguide array substrates. For example, in Figure 3 In the example, after the optical waveguide substrate 10 is removed from the mold 2, it is cut to form multiple optical waveguide array substrates. Alternatively, the thickness of the photosensitive resin substrate 8 and the reflective film 61 can be controlled so that the optical waveguide array substrates can be obtained directly after demolding.

[0069] S6. Grinding and polishing the original optical waveguide array wafer to obtain optical waveguide array 101. For example, in Figure 4 In the example, grinding and polishing make the surface of the optical waveguide array substrate smooth and flat, thereby ensuring the clarity of the image formed after refraction by the optical waveguide array, improving the image quality and enhancing the user's visual experience.

[0070] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid photosensitive resin is composed of a photosensitive resin prepolymer, which includes at least one of unsaturated polyester prepolymer, acrylate prepolymer, epoxy resin prepolymer, silicone resin prepolymer, epoxy acrylate prepolymer, polyurethane acrylate prepolymer, polyester acrylate prepolymer, and polyether acrylate prepolymer. Because the above materials have characteristics such as wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and low cost, the toughness of the photosensitive resin substrate 8 can be improved, the service life of the optical waveguide array 101 can be increased, and the cost of the optical waveguide array 101 can be reduced.

[0071] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the material of the reflective film 61 includes at least one selected from aluminum, silver, copper, gold, chromium, platinum, silicon monoxide, magnesium fluoride, silicon dioxide, and aluminum oxide. Therefore, the preparation process of the reflective film 61 is simple, its optical properties are stable, and its reflectivity is increased.

[0072] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the thickness of the photosensitive resin substrate 8 is D, where D satisfies: 0.1mm ≤ D ≤ 1mm. When the thickness of the photosensitive resin substrate 8 is less than 0.1mm, the refraction effect of the formed optical waveguide array 101 is poor, and the optical signal cannot be refracted well. When the thickness of the photosensitive resin substrate 8 is greater than 1mm, the image refracted by the optical waveguide array 101 is unclear. Therefore, the thickness of the photosensitive resin substrate 8 is between 0.1mm and 6mm, which allows the photosensitive resin substrate 8 to function effectively and improves the imaging quality.

[0073] The fabrication apparatus 100 for the optical waveguide array 101 according to embodiments of the present invention, as well as its operation, are known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0074] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0075] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0076] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0077] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus for fabricating an array of optical waveguides, characterized by, include: A housing having a receiving cavity and an air inlet and an air outlet communicating with the receiving cavity; A mold, wherein the mold is disposed within the receiving cavity, and an opening is formed on one side of the mold in the height direction; The glue-injecting component has one end extending into the receiving cavity and facing the opening; A coating assembly, wherein the coating assembly is disposed within the receiving cavity and is opposite to the mold; At least one light source is disposed above the opening, and the light emitted by the light source illuminates the mold, forming an alternating arrangement of photosensitive resin substrate and reflective film in the mold to form an optical waveguide array.

2. The apparatus for fabricating an array of optical waveguides according to claim 1, wherein, The coating assembly includes: A cathode component, wherein the cathode component is sleeved on one end of the adhesive injection component; The target material is sleeved on one end of the injection part, and the target material is located on the side of the cathode part adjacent to the opening; An anode element is disposed on the side of the mold away from the target material.

3. The fabrication apparatus for optical waveguide arrays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dispensing component includes a glue hopper and a feed pipe. One end of the feed pipe extends into the receiving cavity, and the other end of the feed pipe is connected to the glue hopper. Graduation lines are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the glue hopper.

4. The fabrication apparatus for optical waveguide arrays according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cross-sectional area of ​​the rubber hopper gradually increases in the direction away from the feed pipe.

5. The fabrication apparatus for optical waveguide arrays according to claim 3, characterized in that, The feed pipe is equipped with a feed valve to control the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity and the rubber hopper; An air inlet valve is provided at the air inlet to control the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity and the air inlet; An air outlet valve is provided at the air outlet to control the connection and disconnection between the receiving cavity and the air outlet.

6. The fabrication apparatus for optical waveguide arrays according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The mold is a transparent mold, and the material of the transparent mold includes at least one of polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer, glass, and transparent ceramic.

7. The fabrication apparatus for optical waveguide arrays according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, A vacuum pump is provided outside the receiving cavity to evacuate the inside of the mold.

8. The fabrication apparatus for optical waveguide arrays according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, There are multiple light sources, and the multiple light sources are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the opening.

9. A method for fabricating an optical waveguide array, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Injection treatment: Liquid photosensitive resin is injected into the mold of the preparation device, wherein the preparation device is the preparation device according to any one of claims 1-8; S2. Curing process: Turn on the light source of the preparation device, and let the light emitted by the light source shine on the liquid photosensitive resin, so that the liquid photosensitive resin is cured into a photosensitive resin substrate; S3. Coating process: The coating component of the preparation device is operated, and argon gas is introduced into the preparation device to form a reflective film on the surface of the photosensitive resin substrate. S4. Repeat steps S1 to S3 to obtain the optical waveguide substrate.

10. The method for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to claim 9, characterized in that, The steps following step S1 and before step S2 include: S11. Degassing treatment: Start the vacuum pump of the preparation device to evacuate the inside of the mold to remove air bubbles in the liquid photosensitive resin. S12. Let the liquid photosensitive resin stand for a predetermined time.

11. The method for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to claim 10, characterized in that, Step S1 is preceded by: S0. Apply a release agent to the inner wall of the mold.

12. The method for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to claim 11, characterized in that, Step S4 is followed by: S5. Demold the optical waveguide substrate and cut the demolded optical waveguide substrate to obtain multiple optical waveguide array substrates; S6. Grinding and polishing the original optical waveguide array to obtain the optical waveguide array.

13. The method for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to claim 9, characterized in that, The liquid photosensitive resin is composed of a photosensitive resin prepolymer, which includes at least one of unsaturated polyester prepolymer, acrylate prepolymer, epoxy resin prepolymer, silicone resin prepolymer, epoxy acrylate prepolymer, polyurethane acrylate prepolymer, polyester acrylate prepolymer, and polyether acrylate prepolymer.

14. The method for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to claim 9, characterized in that, The material of the reflective film includes at least one of aluminum, silver, copper, gold, chromium, platinum, silicon monoxide, magnesium fluoride, silicon dioxide, and aluminum oxide.

15. The method for fabricating an optical waveguide array according to any one of claims 9-14, characterized in that, The thickness of the photosensitive resin substrate is D, wherein D satisfies: 0.1mm≤D≤1mm.

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