Optical member, laser module and laser device including optical member

Abstract

To provide an optical member that is used in a laser module having a surface emitting laser and is capable of detecting damage (cracks, peeling, etc.), a manufacturing method thereof, a laser module including the optical member, and a laser device.SOLUTION: An optical member 10 for use in a laser module having a surface emitting laser light source includes a wiring 13 having a conductive substance. The optical member 10 preferably includes an optical element region 11 having at least one optical element selected from the group consisting of a diffractive optical element and a microlens array. The optical member 10 is preferably manufactured by a method including a step of applying an ink containing the conductive substance to the optical member by a printing method to form the wiring 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical member used in a laser module having a surface-emitting laser light source, a method for manufacturing the same, and a laser module and a laser device including the optical member. [Background technology]

[0002] With the spread of smartphones, there has been a rapid increase in demand in recent years for 3D sensing, which recognizes the three-dimensional shape of objects, such as facial recognition to avoid security risks, 3D mapping recognition cameras, gesture recognition controllers for game consoles, self-driving cars, and machine vision in factories. 3D sensing employs methods such as the TOF (Time Of Flight) method and structured light method, which irradiate an object with laser light from a laser light source such as a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL), and obtain information from the reflected light.

[0003] In these 3D sensing methods, laser light is controlled and shaped using optical components having optical elements such as a diffuser, a diffractive optical element, a lens, a prism, a polarizing plate, etc., depending on the application and purpose. For example, in the TOF method, a diffuser is used as an optical element to make the laser light uniform, and in the structured light method, a diffractive optical element is used to control and shape the laser light into structured light such as a dot pattern (e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-26662 [Patent Document 2] Special publication 2018-511034 [Patent Document 3] Special publication 2006-500621 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] 3D sensing often uses relatively safe near-infrared laser light at 850 nm or 940 nm. However, in the case of smartphone facial recognition, high-power light such as laser light is directly irradiated onto the eyes, potentially causing harm such as blindness. Optical components such as diffusers and diffractive optical elements diffuse laser light, thereby reducing such harm. However, if the optical components are damaged, such as by cracking or peeling, due to a fall or impact, undiffused laser light may be irradiated directly onto the eyes. Furthermore, in 3D sensing systems used outdoors in harsh environments such as autonomous driving, where sunlight and vibrations are present, deterioration or damage to optical components can lead to malfunctions and accidents, making such malfunctions essential for rapid detection. However, conventional 3D sensing systems lack a known method for detecting damage to optical components, leading to continued use without noticing.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an optical member that can detect damage (cracks, peeling, etc.) in an optical member used in a laser module having a surface-emitting laser, and a method for manufacturing the same. Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser module having the optical member. Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser device having the laser module.

[0007] Laser modules typically undergo a reflow process to bond electrodes to a wiring board by soldering. In recent years, lead-free solder with a high melting point has come to be used as the bonding material, and the heat treatment in the reflow process has become higher (for example, peak temperatures of 240 to 260°C). Under these circumstances, conventional laser modules have experienced degradation problems, such as cracks occurring in optical components containing optical elements such as microlens arrays and diffractive optical elements due to the heat treatment in the reflow process. Therefore, optical components used in laser modules are required to have excellent heat resistance, and in particular, to be less susceptible to cracking and peeling even when heated in the reflow process. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that damage to an optical component used in a laser module can be detected by providing wiring containing a conductive material to the optical component and monitoring the electrical current flow through the wiring. They have also found that the wiring can be formed simply and efficiently by applying ink containing a conductive material to the optical component using a printing method. The present invention was completed based on these findings.

[0009] That is, the present invention provides an optical member for use in a laser module having a surface-emitting laser light source, comprising: An optical member characterized by having wiring containing a conductive material is provided.

[0010] In the optical member, the conductive material may include a metal.

[0011] In the optical member, the conductive material may contain silver.

[0012] The optical member may have at least one optical element selected from the group consisting of a diffractive optical element and a microlens array.

[0013] The optical member may be a plastic or a laminate of plastic and inorganic glass.

[0014] The plastic may be a cured product of a curable epoxy resin composition.

[0015] The present invention also provides a laser module having the optical member and a surface-emitting laser light source.

[0016] The laser module may further include a current detection mechanism for detecting a current state of wiring containing a conductive material in the optical member.

[0017] The present invention also provides a laser device having the laser module.

[0018] The present invention also provides a method for producing the optical member, comprising: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing the optical member, characterized by including a step of applying ink containing a conductive substance to the optical member by a printing method to form wiring.

[0019] In the method for manufacturing an optical member, the printing method may include inkjet printing or screen printing.

[0020] In the method for manufacturing an optical member, the optical member may be an optical element array in which two or more optical elements are arranged two-dimensionally.

[0021] The method for manufacturing an optical member may further include a step of dicing the optical element array into two or more individual optical elements. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] The optical member of the present invention, having the above-described configuration, can easily detect damage, such as cracks and peeling, in the optical member used in the laser module, thereby preventing damage to the laser module due to damage to the optical member or damage caused by malfunction. For example, in smartphone facial recognition, an error message can be sent to the user to warn them, or the laser light itself can be prevented from being directly irradiated into the user's eyes, reducing the risk of blindness. Furthermore, in autonomous driving of automobiles, a malfunction in a 3D sensing system equipped with a laser module can be detected and an error message can be sent to the driver, preventing accidents due to malfunction. Furthermore, the optical member of the present invention allows wiring containing a conductive material to be formed simply and efficiently using existing printing methods. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams showing an example of a preferred embodiment of an optical member of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a top view, and (c) is a side view. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing another example of a preferred embodiment of the optical member of the present invention, in which (a) is a top view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XX'. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing an example of a preferred embodiment of a laser module of the present invention, in which (a) is a perspective view and (b) are cross-sectional views taken along lines YY' and ZZ'. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a preferred embodiment of the laser module of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] [Optical components] The optical member of the present invention is an optical member for use in a laser module having a surface-emitting laser light source, and is characterized by having wiring containing a conductive material.

[0025] Materials constituting the optical member of the present invention can be any material usable in the optical field without any particular limitation, and examples thereof include plastics, optical glasses such as BK7 and SF2, quartz glasses such as synthetic quartz, and inorganic glasses such as calcium fluoride crystals. Among these, optical members made of plastics are preferred because they are easy to mold and process.

[0026] Furthermore, optical components made of a hybrid material that is a laminate of plastic and inorganic glass (hereinafter referred to as "hybrid optical components") are also preferred, from the viewpoint of excellent heat resistance that makes them less likely to crack or peel even when heated in a reflow process. The hybrid optical component is not particularly limited as long as it has a laminate structure of plastic and inorganic glass, and examples include a hybrid optical component in which a plastic layer is laminated on one or both sides of a substrate made of inorganic glass on which optical elements are formed, and a flat substrate made of inorganic glass on which no optical elements are formed, in which a plastic layer on which optical elements are formed is laminated on one or both sides. A hybrid optical component in which a plastic layer on which optical elements are formed is laminated on one side of a flat substrate made of inorganic glass is preferred, because it allows for easy formation of optical elements.

[0027] As the plastic constituting the optical component of the present invention, any plastic that can be used in the optical field can be used without any particular limitation. For example, a thermoplastic resin composition or a curable resin composition can be used, but a curable resin composition that is excellent in mass productivity and moldability is preferred.

[0028] The thermoplastic resin composition constituting the optical member of the present invention can be any thermoplastic resin that can be used in the optical field, without any particular limitation, and examples thereof include (meth)acrylic resins, alicyclic structure-containing resins, styrene-based resins, polyamide resins, polycarbonate resins, polyester resins, polyether resins, urethane resins, thiourethane resins, etc. These thermoplastic resins can be molded into the optical member of the present invention by known molding methods, such as press molding, extrusion molding, injection molding, etc., but injection molding is preferred from the viewpoints of moldability and productivity.

[0029] The curable resin composition constituting the optical member of the present invention can be any composition that can be used in the optical field, without any particular limitation. Examples include epoxy-based cationically curable resin compositions, acrylic-based radically curable resin compositions, and curable silicone resin compositions. Among these, epoxy-based cationically curable resin compositions (curable epoxy resin compositions) are preferred because they cure in a short time, require a short casting time into a mold, have a small cure shrinkage rate and excellent dimensional stability, and are not inhibited by oxygen during curing.

[0030] As the epoxy resin, known or commonly used compounds having one or more epoxy groups (oxirane rings) in the molecule can be used, such as alicyclic epoxy compounds, aromatic epoxy compounds, aliphatic epoxy compounds, etc. In the present invention, among them, polyfunctional alicyclic epoxy compounds having an alicyclic structure and two or more epoxy groups as functional groups in one molecule are preferred, since they can form a cured product having excellent heat resistance and transparency, and in particular, can form an excellent cured product that is resistant to cracking and peeling even when heat treated in the reflow process.

[0031] Specific examples of the polyfunctional alicyclic epoxy compound include: (i) A compound having an epoxy group composed of two adjacent carbon atoms and an oxygen atom that constitute an alicyclic ring (i.e., an alicyclic epoxy group) (ii) Compounds having an epoxy group directly bonded to an alicyclic ring by a single bond (iii) Compounds having an alicyclic ring and a glycidyl group etc.

[0032] Examples of the compound (i) having an alicyclic epoxy group include compounds represented by the following formula (i): [ka]

[0033] In the above formula (i), X represents a single bond or a linking group (a divalent group having one or more atoms). Examples of the linking group include a divalent hydrocarbon group, an alkenylene group in which some or all of the carbon-carbon double bonds have been epoxidized, a carbonyl group, an ether bond, an ester bond, a carbonate group, an amide group, and groups in which multiple of these groups are linked together. The cyclohexene oxide group in formula (i) may have a substituent (e.g., an alkyl group) bonded to it.

[0034] Examples of the divalent hydrocarbon group include a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms and a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group. Examples of the linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms include a methylene group, a methylmethylene group, a dimethylmethylene group, an ethylene group, a propylene group, and a trimethylene group. Examples of the divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group include a cycloalkylene group (including a cycloalkylidene group) such as a 1,2-cyclopentylene group, a 1,3-cyclopentylene group, a cyclopentylidene group, a 1,2-cyclohexylene group, a 1,3-cyclohexylene group, a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, and a cyclohexylidene group.

[0035] Examples of the alkenylene group in the alkenylene group in which some or all of the carbon-carbon double bonds have been epoxidized (sometimes referred to as an "epoxidized alkenylene group") include linear or branched alkenylene groups having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, such as vinylene, propenylene, 1-butenylene, 2-butenylene, butadienylene, pentenylene, hexenylene, heptenylene, and octenylene. In particular, the epoxidized alkenylene group is preferably an alkenylene group in which all of the carbon-carbon double bonds have been epoxidized, and more preferably an alkenylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms in which all of the carbon-carbon double bonds have been epoxidized.

[0036] The linking group for X is preferably a linking group containing an oxygen atom, and specific examples include -CO-, -O-CO-O-, -COO-, -O-, -CONH-, an epoxidized alkenylene group; a group in which a plurality of these groups are linked together; and a group in which one or more of these groups are linked to one or more of the above divalent hydrocarbon groups.

[0037] Representative examples of the compound represented by formula (i) above include (3,4,3',4'-diepoxy)bicyclohexyl, bis(3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl)ether, 1,2-epoxy-1,2-bis(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl-1-yl)ethane, 2,2-bis(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl-1-yl)propane, 1,2-bis(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl-1-yl)ethane, and compounds represented by the following formulas (i-1) to (i-10). L in the following formula (i-5) is an alkylene group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and among these, a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, such as a methylene group, an ethylene group, a propylene group, or an isopropylene group, is preferred. n in the following formulas (i-5), (i-7), (i-9), and (i-10) 1 ~n 8 represents an integer of 1 to 30.

[0038] [ka] [ka]

[0039] The compound (i) having an alicyclic epoxy group also includes epoxy-modified siloxanes.

[0040] Examples of epoxy-modified siloxanes include linear or cyclic polyorganosiloxanes having a structural unit represented by the following formula (i'). [ka]

[0041] In the above formula (i'), R 1 represents a substituent containing an epoxy group represented by the following formula (1a) or (1b), and R 2 represents an alkyl group or an alkoxy group. [ka]

[0042] In the formula, R 1a , R 1b are the same or different and represent a linear or branched alkylene group, and examples thereof include linear or branched alkylene groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms such as a methylene group, a methylmethylene group, a dimethylmethylene group, an ethylene group, a propylene group, a trimethylene group, a tetramethylene group, a pentamethylene group, a hexamethylene group, and a decamethylene group.

[0043] The epoxy equivalent of the epoxy-modified siloxane (according to JIS K7236) is, for example, 100 to 400, and preferably 150 to 300.

[0044] As the epoxy-modified siloxane, for example, a commercially available product such as an epoxy-modified cyclic polyorganosiloxane represented by the following formula (i'-1) (trade name "X-40-2670", manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.) can be used. [ka]

[0045] Examples of the compound (ii) having an epoxy group directly bonded to the alicyclic ring via a single bond include compounds represented by the following formula (ii). [ka]

[0046] In formula (ii), R' is a group (p-valent organic group) obtained by removing p hydroxyl groups (-OH) from the structural formula of a p-valent alcohol, and p, n 9 Each represents a natural number. p-valent alcohol [R'-(OH)p Examples of the alkyl group include polyhydric alcohols (alcohols having 1 to 15 carbon atoms) such as 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1-butanol. p is preferably an integer of 1 to 6, and n is preferably an integer of 1 to 6. 9 is preferably 1 to 30. When p is 2 or more, n in the groups in the respective square brackets (outer brackets) 9 and may be the same or different. Specific examples of the compound represented by formula (ii) include 1,2-epoxy-4-(2-oxiranyl)cyclohexane adduct of 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-1-butanol [for example, trade name "EHPE3150" (manufactured by Daicel Corporation)].

[0047] Examples of the compound (iii) having an alicyclic ring and a glycidyl group include hydrogenated aromatic glycidyl ether-based epoxy compounds such as hydrogenated bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, hydrogenated bisphenol F diglycidyl ether, hydrogenated biphenol-type epoxy compounds, hydrogenated phenol novolac-type epoxy compounds, hydrogenated cresol novolac-type epoxy compounds, hydrogenated cresol novolac-type epoxy compounds of bisphenol A, hydrogenated naphthalene-type epoxy compounds, and hydrogenated products of trisphenolmethane-type epoxy compounds.

[0048] As the polyfunctional alicyclic epoxy compound, a compound (i) having an alicyclic epoxy group is preferred in that a cured product having high surface hardness and excellent transparency can be obtained, and a compound represented by the above formula (i) (particularly, (3,4,3',4'-diepoxy)bicyclohexyl) is particularly preferred.

[0049] The curable resin composition of the present invention may contain other curable compounds in addition to the epoxy resin as the curable compound, and may contain, for example, one or more cationic curable compounds such as oxetane compounds and vinyl ether compounds.

[0050] The proportion of the epoxy resin in the total amount (100% by weight) of the curable compounds contained in the curable resin composition is, for example, 50% by weight or more, preferably 60% by weight or more, particularly preferably 70% by weight or more, and most preferably 80% by weight or more. The upper limit is, for example, 100% by weight, preferably 90% by weight.

[0051] The proportion of the compound (i) having an alicyclic epoxy group in the total amount (100% by weight) of the curable compounds contained in the curable resin composition is, for example, 20% by weight or more, preferably 30% by weight or more, particularly preferably 40% by weight or more, and the upper limit is, for example, 70% by weight, preferably 60% by weight.

[0052] The proportion of the compound represented by formula (i) in the total amount (100% by weight) of the curable compounds contained in the curable resin composition is, for example, 10% by weight or more, preferably 15% by weight or more, and particularly preferably 20% by weight or more, with the upper limit being, for example, 50% by weight, preferably 40% by weight.

[0053] The curable resin composition preferably contains a polymerization initiator together with the curable compound, and particularly preferably contains one or more photo- or thermal-polymerization initiators (particularly, photo- or thermal-cationic polymerization initiators).

[0054] The cationic photopolymerization initiator is a compound that generates an acid upon irradiation with light and initiates the curing reaction of a curable compound (particularly a cationic curable compound) contained in the curable resin composition, and is composed of a cationic moiety that absorbs light and an anionic moiety that serves as the source of acid generation.

[0055] Examples of the photocationic polymerization initiator include diazonium salt compounds, iodonium salt compounds, sulfonium salt compounds, phosphonium salt compounds, selenium salt compounds, oxonium salt compounds, ammonium salt compounds, and bromine salt compounds.

[0056] In the present invention, the use of sulfonium salt compounds is particularly preferred because they can form cured products with excellent curability. Examples of the cation moiety of the sulfonium salt compound include arylsulfonium ions (particularly triarylsulfonium ions) such as (4-hydroxyphenyl)methylbenzylsulfonium ion, triphenylsulfonium ion, diphenyl[4-(phenylthio)phenyl]sulfonium ion, 4-(4-biphenylylthio)phenyl-4-biphenylylphenylsulfonium ion, and tri-p-tolyl sulfonium ion.

[0057] The anion moiety of the photocationic polymerization initiator may be, for example, [(Y) s B(Phf) 4-s ] - (wherein Y represents a phenyl group or a biphenylyl group; Phf represents a phenyl group in which at least one hydrogen atom is substituted with at least one selected from a perfluoroalkyl group, a perfluoroalkoxy group, and a halogen atom; and s represents an integer of 0 to 3), BF4 - , [(Rf) t PF 6-t ] - (wherein Rf represents an alkyl group in which 80% or more of the hydrogen atoms are substituted with fluorine atoms, and t represents an integer of 0 to 5), AsF6 - , SbF6 - , SbF5OH - Examples include:

[0058] Examples of the photocationic polymerization initiator include (4-hydroxyphenyl)methylbenzylsulfonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, 4-(4-biphenylylthio)phenyl-4-biphenylylphenylsulfonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, 4-(phenylthio)phenyldiphenylsulfonium phenyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate, [4-(4-biphenylylthio)phenyl]-4-biphenylylphenylsulfonium phenyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate, diphenyl[4-(phenylthio)phenyl]sulfonium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, diphenyl[4-(phenylthio)phenyl]sulfonium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate, diphenyl[4-(phenylthio)phenyl]sulfonium hexafluorophosphate, and 4-(4-biphenylylthio)phenyl-4-biphenylylphenylsulfonium. Tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, bis[4-(diphenylsulfonio)phenyl]sulfide Phenyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate, [4-(2-thioxanthonylthio)phenyl]phenyl-2-thioxanthonylsulfonium Phenyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate, 4-(phenylthio)phenyldiphenylsulfonium Hexafluoroantimonate, trade names "Cyracure UVI-6970", "Cyracure UVI-6974", "Cyracure UVI-6990", "Cyracure UVI-950" (all manufactured by Union Carbide Corporation, USA), "Irgacure250", "Irgacure261", "Irgacure264", "CG-24-61" (all manufactured by BASF), "Optomer SP-150", "Optomer SP-151", "Optomer SP-170", "Optomer SP-171" (all manufactured by ADEKA Corporation), "DAICATII" (manufactured by Daicel Corporation), "UVAC1590", "UVAC1591" (both manufactured by Daicel-Cytec Co., Ltd.), "CI-2064", "CI-2639", "CI-2624", "CI-2481", "CI-2734", "CI-2855", "CI-2823", "CI-2758", "CIT-1682" (all manufactured by Nippon Soda Co., Ltd.), "PI-2074" (manufactured by Rhodia, tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate Commercially available products that can be used include "triylcumyl iodonium salt," "FFC509" (manufactured by 3M), "BBI-102," "BBI-101," "BBI-103," "MPI-103," "TPS-103," "MDS-103," "DTS-103," "NAT-103," and "NDS-103" (all manufactured by Midori Chemical Co., Ltd.), "CD-1010," "CD-1011," and "CD-1012" (all manufactured by Sartomer, USA), and "CPI-100P" and "CPI-101A" (all manufactured by San-Apro Co., Ltd.).

[0059] The thermal cationic polymerization initiator is a compound that generates an acid upon heat treatment and initiates the curing reaction of the cationic curable compound contained in the curable resin composition, and is composed of a cationic moiety that absorbs heat and an anionic moiety that serves as the source of acid generation. One type of thermal cationic polymerization initiator can be used alone, or two or more types can be used in combination.

[0060] Examples of the thermal cationic polymerization initiator include iodonium salt compounds and sulfonium salt compounds.

[0061] Examples of the cationic moiety of the thermal cationic polymerization initiator include a 4-hydroxyphenyl-methyl-benzylsulfonium ion, a 4-hydroxyphenyl-methyl-(2-methylbenzyl)sulfonium ion, a 4-hydroxyphenyl-methyl-1-naphthylmethylsulfonium ion, and a p-methoxycarbonyloxyphenyl-benzyl-methylsulfonium ion.

[0062] Examples of the anion moiety of the thermal cationic polymerization initiator include the same examples as those of the anion moiety of the photocationic polymerization initiator.

[0063] Examples of the thermal cationic polymerization initiator include 4-hydroxyphenyl-methyl-benzylsulfonium phenyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate, 4-hydroxyphenyl-methyl-(2-methylbenzyl)sulfonium phenyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate, 4-hydroxyphenyl-methyl-1-naphthylmethylsulfonium phenyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate, and p-methoxycarbonyloxyphenyl-benzyl-methylsulfonium phenyltris(pentafluorophenyl)borate.

[0064] The content of the polymerization initiator is, for example, in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the curable compound (particularly the cationic curable compound) contained in the curable resin composition. If the content of the polymerization initiator is below this range, there is a risk of insufficient curing. On the other hand, if the content of the polymerization initiator is above this range, the cured product tends to be easily discolored.

[0065] The curable resin composition of the present invention can be produced by mixing the curable compound and polymerization initiator, and, if necessary, other components (for example, a solvent, an antioxidant, a surface conditioner, a photosensitizer, an antifoaming agent, a leveling agent, a coupling agent, a surfactant, a flame retardant, an ultraviolet absorber, a colorant, etc.) The amount of the other components added is, for example, 20% by weight or less, preferably 10% by weight or less, and particularly preferably 5% by weight or less, of the total amount of the curable resin composition.

[0066] The viscosity of the curable resin composition of the present invention at 25°C is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5000 mPa·s or less, and more preferably 2500 mPa·s or less. By adjusting the viscosity of the curable resin composition of the present invention within the above range, fluidity is improved, air bubbles are less likely to remain, and the composition can be filled into a molding die while suppressing an increase in injection pressure. In other words, the application and filling properties can be improved, and workability can be improved throughout the entire molding process of the curable resin composition of the present invention. Note that the viscosity in this specification is a value measured using a rheometer ("PHYSICA UDS200" manufactured by Paar Physica) at a temperature of 25°C and a rotation speed of 20 / sec.

[0067] As the curable resin composition of the present invention, for example, commercially available products such as trade names "CELVENUS OUH106" and "CELVENUS OTM107" (both manufactured by Daicel Corporation) can be used.

[0068] The optical member of the present invention can be obtained by molding the curable resin composition using a molding die and then curing the composition to obtain an optical member made of a cured product of the curable resin composition.

[0069] Examples of methods for molding the curable resin composition using a mold include the following methods (1) and (2). (1) A method in which a curable resin composition is applied to a mold, a substrate is pressed onto the mold, the curable resin composition is cured, and then the mold is peeled off. (2) A method in which a curable resin composition is applied to at least one of the upper and lower halves of a molding die (preferably the lower halves), the upper and lower halves are mated, the curable resin composition is cured, and then the upper and lower halves are peeled off.

[0070] For example, when a photocurable resin composition is used as the curable resin composition, it is preferable to use a substrate having a light transmittance of 90% or more at a wavelength of 400 nm as the substrate, and a substrate made of inorganic glass such as quartz glass or optical glass can be suitably used. In the method (1) above, when a substrate made of inorganic glass is used, a hybrid optical component can be obtained that is a laminate of a cured product of the curable resin composition and inorganic glass. The light transmittance at the wavelength is determined by using a substrate (thickness: 1 mm) as a test piece and measuring the light transmittance at the wavelength irradiated onto the test piece using a spectrophotometer.

[0071] The method for applying the curable resin composition is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a method using a dispenser, a syringe, etc. The curable resin composition is preferably applied to the center of the mold.

[0072] For example, when a photocurable resin composition is used as the curable resin composition, the curing of the curable resin composition can be carried out by irradiating it with ultraviolet light. Light sources used for ultraviolet irradiation include high-pressure mercury lamps, ultra-high-pressure mercury lamps, carbon arc lamps, xenon lamps, and metal halide lamps. The irradiation time varies depending on the type of light source, the distance between the light source and the coating surface, and other conditions, but is at most several tens of seconds. The illuminance is approximately 5 to 200 mW. After ultraviolet irradiation, heating (post-cure) may be performed as needed to promote curing.

[0073] For example, when a thermosetting resin composition is used as the curable resin composition, the curable resin composition can be cured by carrying out a heat treatment. The heating temperature is, for example, about 60 to 150° C. The heating time is, for example, about 0.2 to 20 hours.

[0074] The shape of the optical member of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is usable in the optical field, and can be selected from, for example, a plate, sheet, film, lens, prism, column, cone, etc. depending on the purpose and application, but when it has an optical element described below, a substrate shape such as a plate, sheet, or film is preferred from the viewpoint of easy control of laser beams. When the optical member of the present invention is in the form of a substrate, its thickness can also be appropriately set depending on the application and purpose, and can be appropriately selected, for example, from the range of 100 to 2000 μm, preferably 100 to 1000 μm.

[0075] The optical member of the present invention preferably has high transparency. The total light transmittance of the optical member of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 70% or more, more preferably 80% or more. The upper limit of the total light transmittance is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 99%. The total light transmittance of the optical member of the present invention can be easily controlled within the above range, for example, by using a cured product of the above-mentioned curable resin composition as a material. The total light transmittance can be measured in accordance with JIS K7361-1.

[0076] The haze of the optical member of the present invention is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less. The lower limit of the haze is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.1%. The haze of the optical member of the present invention can be easily controlled within the above range, for example, by using a cured product of the above-mentioned curable resin composition as a material. The haze can be measured in accordance with JIS K7136.

[0077] The optical member of the present invention preferably has an optical element. The optical element included in the optical member of the present invention can be any optical element usable in the optical field, and examples thereof include a diffractive optical element, a microlens array, a prism, and a polarizing plate. Among these, a diffractive optical element and a microlens array suitable for controlling laser light are preferred.

[0078] A diffractive optical element (DOE) is an optical element that changes the direction of light by utilizing the diffraction phenomenon of light, such as a grating or hologram, and diffracts light using a periodic structure (diffraction grooves) formed in the optical member to form any structured light. The structured light of laser light controlled by the diffractive optical element of the optical member of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples include a dot pattern and uniform surface irradiation light, and can be appropriately selected depending on the application and purpose.

[0079] A microlens array has a structure in which multiple microlenses, each measuring several tens of micrometers in size, are arranged, and functions as a "diffuser" that diffuses and homogenizes the laser light emitted from a surface-emitting laser light source. The microlenses that make up the microlens array may be of the same shape, or may be a random structure in which microlenses of different shapes are arranged, and can be selected appropriately depending on the application and purpose.

[0080] The optical element of the optical member of the present invention can be formed by a known method. For example, by using a mold having a molding surface with a shape that is the inverse of the desired optical element as a mold for molding the above-mentioned curable resin composition, the optical element can be formed in a region of the optical member that corresponds to the inverse shape of the desired optical element. Alternatively, a method of forming a desired optical pattern on the optical member by electron beam lithography or the like can also be adopted.

[0081] Alternatively, a member having an optical element may be laminated separately onto an optical member having no optical element. The material constituting the member having an optical element may be the same as the material constituting the optical member of the present invention. The material constituting the member having an optical element may be the same as or different from the material constituting the optical member of the present invention. The member having an optical element can be manufactured by the same method as the optical member of the present invention having an optical element.

[0082] The optical element of the optical member of the present invention may be formed on the entire surface of the optical member, or may be formed on a part of the surface. Specifically, when the optical member is in the form of a substrate, the optical element may be formed on the entire surface of at least one side, or may be formed on a part of the surface. Furthermore, the optical element may be formed on only one side of the substrate-like optical member, or may be formed on both sides.

[0083] A preferred embodiment of a substrate-like optical member having optical elements is one in which an optical element is formed (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as an "optical element region") and an area in which no optical element is formed (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "non-optical element region"). A particularly preferred embodiment is one in which the optical element region is formed in the center of the substrate of the optical member, and a non-optical element region is formed around the optical element region (the outer periphery of the substrate of the optical member). Even if optical elements are formed on only one surface of a substrate-like optical member, the areas on the other surface where no optical elements are formed that correspond to the optical element region and the non-optical element region are also considered to be the optical element region and the non-optical element region, respectively.

[0084] [Wiring containing conductive materials] The optical member of the present invention is characterized by having wiring containing a conductive material. The conductive material is not particularly limited as long as it has conductivity, and for example, metals, metal oxides, conductive polymers, conductive carbon-based materials, etc. can be used.

[0085] Examples of the metals include gold, silver, copper, chromium, nickel, palladium, aluminum, iron, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, zinc, lead, cobalt, titanium, zirconium, indium, rhodium, ruthenium, and alloys thereof. Examples of the metal oxides include chromium oxide, nickel oxide, copper oxide, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, indium oxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, and composite oxides thereof, such as composite oxide of indium oxide and tin oxide (ITO) and composite oxide of tin oxide and phosphorus oxide (PTO). Examples of the conductive polymers include polyacetylene polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polythiophene. Examples of the conductive carbonaceous materials include carbon black, SAF, ISAF, HAF, FEF, GPF, SRF, FT, MT, pyrolytic carbon, natural graphite, and artificial graphite. These conductive materials can be used alone or in combination.

[0086] As the conductive substance, metals or metal oxides are preferred, which have excellent conductivity and are easy to form wiring, and metals are more preferred, with gold, silver, copper, indium, etc. being preferred, and silver is particularly preferred because it can be fused to each other at a temperature of about 100°C and can form wiring with excellent conductivity even on plastic optical components.

[0087] The wiring containing a conductive material may contain additives such as a doping agent, a reducing agent, an antioxidant, a coupling agent (such as a silane coupling agent) in addition to the conductive material, from the viewpoint of improving conductivity, adhesion to optical components, etc.

[0088] The method for forming wiring containing a conductive material on an optical component can be any known method, such as printing, sputtering, vacuum deposition, CVD (chemical vapor deposition), MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition), laser ablation (PLAD: pulsed laser ablation deposition), etc. From the viewpoint of facilitating the formation of wiring of a desired width at a desired position on the optical component, the printing and sputtering methods are preferred, and the printing method is particularly preferred.

[0089] As the printing method, any known printing method can be used without any particular limitation, and examples thereof include inkjet printing, gravure printing, flexographic printing, screen printing, and offset printing. From the viewpoint of facilitating the formation of wiring of a desired width at a desired position on an optical component, inkjet printing, gravure printing, flexographic printing, and screen printing are preferred, with inkjet printing and screen printing being particularly preferred.

[0090] The inkjet printing method of the present invention is a method including a step of applying ink containing a conductive material from a nozzle onto an optical member to form wiring.

[0091] The ink containing a conductive substance used in the inkjet printing method of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can be used for inkjet printing. However, from the viewpoint of facilitating the formation of wiring of a desired width at a desired position on an optical component, an ink containing "surface-modified metal nanoparticles having a configuration in which the surfaces of metal nanoparticles are coated with an organic protective agent (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "surface-modified metal nanoparticles") is preferred.

[0092] The surface-modified metal nanoparticles have a configuration in which the surfaces of the metal nanoparticles are coated with an organic protective agent, which ensures spacing between the metal nanoparticles and inhibits aggregation, resulting in excellent dispersibility.

[0093] The surface-modified metal nanoparticles are composed of a metal nanoparticle portion and a surface-modifying portion that covers the metal nanoparticle portion (i.e., the portion that covers the metal nanoparticle and is formed by an organic protective agent), and the proportion of the surface-modifying portion is, for example, about 1 to 20 wt % (preferably 1 to 10 wt %) of the weight of the metal nanoparticle portion. The weights of the metal nanoparticle portion and the surface-modifying portion in the surface-modified metal nanoparticles can be determined, for example, by subjecting the surface-modified metal nanoparticles to thermogravimetry and determining the weight loss rate within a specific temperature range.

[0094] The average primary particle size of the metal nanoparticle portion of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles is, for example, 0.5 to 100 nm, preferably 0.5 to 80 nm, more preferably 1 to 70 nm, and even more preferably 1 to 60 nm.

[0095] The metal constituting the metal nanoparticle portion of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles may be any of the above-mentioned conductive metals, such as gold, silver, copper, nickel, aluminum, rhodium, cobalt, and ruthenium. Silver nanoparticles are particularly preferred as the metal nanoparticles of the present invention because they can be fused together at a temperature of about 100°C to form wiring with excellent conductivity on optical components. Therefore, surface-modified silver nanoparticles are preferred as the surface-modified metal nanoparticles, and silver ink is preferred as the ink for inkjet printing.

[0096] The organic protective agent constituting the surface modifying portion of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles is preferably a compound having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a sulfo group, and a thiol group, and is particularly preferably a compound having 4 to 18 carbon atoms and having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a sulfo group, and a thiol group, and is most preferably a compound having an amino group, and is particularly preferably a compound having 4 to 18 carbon atoms and having an amino group (i.e., an amine having 4 to 18 carbon atoms).

[0097] The surface-modified metal nanoparticles can be produced, for example, through a process of mixing a metal compound with an organic protective agent to form a complex containing the metal compound and the organic protective agent (complex formation process), a process of thermally decomposing the complex (thermal decomposition process), and, if necessary, a process of washing the reaction product (washing process).

[0098] (Complexation step) The complex formation step is a step of mixing a metal compound and an organic protective agent to form a complex containing the metal compound and the organic protective agent. A silver compound is preferably used as the metal compound, as nano-sized silver particles fuse together at temperatures of about 100°C, allowing for the formation of highly conductive wiring on optical components. In particular, a silver compound that easily decomposes upon heating to form metallic silver is preferably used. Examples of such silver compounds include silver carboxylates such as silver formate, silver acetate, silver oxalate, silver malonate, silver benzoate, and silver phthalate; silver halides such as silver fluoride, silver chloride, silver bromide, and silver iodide; silver sulfate, silver nitrate, and silver carbonate. Among these, silver oxalate is preferred because it has a high silver content, can be thermally decomposed without the use of a reducing agent, and is less likely to introduce impurities derived from the reducing agent into the ink.

[0099] As the organic protective agent, a compound having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a sulfo group, and a thiol group is preferred, since the unshared electron pair in the heteroatom is coordinated to the metal nanoparticle, thereby exerting the effect of strongly suppressing aggregation between the metal nanoparticles. In particular, a compound having 4 to 18 carbon atoms and having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, an amino group, a sulfo group, and a thiol group is preferred.

[0100] As the organic protective agent, a compound having an amino group is particularly preferred, and a compound having an amino group and having 4 to 18 carbon atoms, that is, an amine having 4 to 18 carbon atoms, is most preferred.

[0101] The amine is a compound in which at least one hydrogen atom of ammonia is substituted with a hydrocarbon group, and includes primary amines, secondary amines, and tertiary amines. The amine may be a monoamine or a polyamine such as a diamine. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0102] The amine is preferably an amine represented by the following formula (a-1): 1 , R 2 , R 3 are the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group (R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R are both hydrogen atoms), and a monoamine (1) having a total carbon number of 6 or more, represented by the following formula (a-1), 1 , R 2 , R 3 are the same or different and are each a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group (R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R are hydrogen atoms), and a monoamine (2) having a total carbon number of 5 or less, and a compound represented by the following formula (a-2), 4 ~R 7 are the same or different and are a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and R 8 is a divalent hydrocarbon group, and preferably contains at least one selected from diamines (3) having a total carbon number of 8 or less, and particularly preferably contains the monoamine (1) together with monoamine (2) and / or diamine (3).

[0103] [ka]

[0104] The hydrocarbon group includes an aliphatic hydrocarbon group, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group, and an aromatic hydrocarbon group, among which an aliphatic hydrocarbon group and an alicyclic hydrocarbon group are preferred, and an aliphatic hydrocarbon group is particularly preferred. Therefore, as the monoamine (1), monoamine (2), and diamine (3), an aliphatic monoamine (1), an aliphatic monoamine (2), and an aliphatic diamine (3) are preferred.

[0105] Furthermore, monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon groups include alkyl groups and alkenyl groups. Monovalent alicyclic hydrocarbon groups include cycloalkyl groups and cycloalkenyl groups. Furthermore, divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon groups include alkylene groups and alkenylene groups, and divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon groups include cycloalkylene groups and cycloalkenylene groups.

[0106] R 1 , R 2 , R 3 Examples of the monovalent hydrocarbon group in the formula (I) include alkyl groups having about 1 to 18 carbon atoms, such as methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, pentyl, hexyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, and octadecyl; alkenyl groups having about 2 to 18 carbon atoms, such as vinyl, allyl, methallyl, 1-propenyl, isopropenyl, 1-butenyl, 2-butenyl, 3-butenyl, 1-pentenyl, 2-pentenyl, 3-pentenyl, 4-pentenyl, and 5-hexenyl; cycloalkyl groups having about 3 to 18 carbon atoms, such as cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, and cyclooctyl; and cycloalkenyl groups having about 3 to 18 carbon atoms, such as cyclopentenyl and cyclohexenyl.

[0107] R 4 ~R 7 Examples of the monovalent hydrocarbon group in the above-mentioned formula include an alkyl group having about 1 to 7 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having about 2 to 7 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group having about 3 to 7 carbon atoms, and a cycloalkenyl group having about 3 to 7 carbon atoms.

[0108] R 8 Examples of the divalent hydrocarbon group in the formula (I) include alkylene groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, such as methylene, methylmethylene, dimethylmethylene, ethylene, propylene, trimethylene, tetramethylene, pentamethylene, and heptamethylene; and alkenylene groups having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, such as vinylene, propenylene, 1-butenylene, 2-butenylene, butadienylene, pentenylene, hexenylene, heptenylene, and octenylene.

[0109] Above R 1 ~R 8 The hydrocarbon group in 1-4 Alkoxy group, C 6-10 Aryloxy group, C 7-16 Aralkyloxy group, C 1-4 acyloxy group, etc.), carboxyl group, substituted oxycarbonyl group (e.g., C 1-4 Alkoxycarbonyl group, C 6-10 Aryloxycarbonyl group, C 7-16 aralkyloxycarbonyl group, etc.), cyano group, nitro group, sulfo group, heterocyclic group, etc. The hydroxyl group and carboxyl group may be protected with a protecting group commonly used in the field of organic synthesis.

[0110] Monoamine (1) is a compound that adsorbs to the surface of metal nanoparticles to prevent the aggregation and enlargement of the metal nanoparticles, i.e., to impart high dispersibility to the metal nanoparticles. Examples of monoamines include primary amines having a linear alkyl group such as n-hexylamine, n-heptylamine, n-octylamine, n-nonylamine, n-decylamine, n-undecylamine, and n-dodecylamine; primary amines having a branched alkyl group such as isohexylamine, 2-ethylhexylamine, and tert-octylamine; primary amines having a cycloalkyl group such as cyclohexylamine; primary amines having an alkenyl group such as oleylamine; and N,N-dipropylamine. secondary amines having a straight-chain alkyl group such as N,N-dimethylamine, N,N-dibutylamine, N,N-dipentylamine, N,N-dihexylamine, N,N-dipeptylamine, N,N-dioctylamine, N,N-dinonylamine, N,N-didecylamine, N,N-diundecylamine, N,N-didodecylamine, and N-propyl-N-butylamine; secondary amines having a branched alkyl group such as N,N-diisohexylamine and N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)amine; tertiary amines having a straight-chain alkyl group such as tributylamine and trihexylamine; and tertiary amines having a branched alkyl group such as triisohexylamine and tri(2-ethylhexyl)amine.

[0111] Among the monoamines (1), preferred are amines (particularly primary amines) having a linear alkyl group with a total of 6 to 18 carbon atoms (the upper limit of the total number of carbon atoms is more preferably 16, and particularly preferably 12) because they can maintain a distance from other metal nanoparticles when the amino group is adsorbed onto the surface of the metal nanoparticle, thereby preventing aggregation of the metal nanoparticles, and can be easily removed during sintering. In particular, n-hexylamine, n-heptylamine, n-octylamine, n-nonylamine, n-decylamine, n-undecylamine, n-dodecylamine, etc. are preferred.

[0112] Monoamine (2) has a shorter hydrocarbon chain than monoamine (1), and therefore has a lower ability to impart high dispersibility to metal nanoparticles, but it has a higher polarity than monoamine (1) and a higher coordination ability to metal atoms, and therefore has the effect of promoting complex formation. Furthermore, because the hydrocarbon chain is short, it can be removed from the surface of metal nanoparticles in a short time (for example, 30 minutes or less, preferably 20 minutes or less) even during low-temperature sintering, resulting in a sintered body with excellent conductivity.

[0113] Examples of monoamine (2) include primary amines having a total of 2 to 5 carbon atoms (preferably 4 to 5 carbon atoms) and a linear or branched alkyl group, such as n-butylamine, isobutylamine, sec-butylamine, tert-butylamine, pentylamine, isopentylamine, and tert-pentylamine, and secondary amines having a total of 2 to 5 carbon atoms (preferably 4 to 5 carbon atoms) and a linear or branched alkyl group, such as N,N-diethylamine. In the present invention, primary amines having a total of 2 to 5 carbon atoms (preferably 4 to 5 carbon atoms) and a linear alkyl group are particularly preferred.

[0114] Diamine (3) has a total carbon number of 8 or less and is more polar than monoamine (1), resulting in a high coordination ability with metal atoms, thereby promoting complex formation. Furthermore, diamine (3) promotes thermal decomposition at lower temperatures and in a shorter time during the thermal decomposition process of the complex, allowing for more efficient production of surface-modified metal nanoparticles. Furthermore, surface-modified metal nanoparticles coated with a protective agent containing diamine (3) exhibit excellent dispersion stability in highly polar dispersion media. Furthermore, because diamine (3) has a short hydrocarbon chain, it can be removed from the surface of metal nanoparticles in a short time (e.g., 30 minutes or less, preferably 20 minutes or less) even during low-temperature sintering, resulting in sintered bodies with excellent conductivity.

[0115] Examples of the diamine (3) include 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine, 1,4-butanediamine, 1,5-pentanediamine, 1,6-hexanediamine, 1,7-heptanediamine, 1,8-octanediamine, and 1,5-diamino-2-methylpentane, which are represented by R in formula (a-2). 4 ~R 7 is a hydrogen atom, and R 8 is a linear or branched alkylene group; diamines in which R in formula (a-2) such as N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine, N,N'-diethylethylenediamine, N,N'-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine, N,N'-diethyl-1,3-propanediamine, N,N'-dimethyl-1,4-butanediamine, N,N'-diethyl-1,4-butanediamine, and N,N'-dimethyl-1,6-hexanediamine 4 , R 6 are the same or different and are linear or branched alkyl groups, and R 5 , R 7 is a hydrogen atom, and R 8 is a linear or branched alkylene group; diamines in which R in formula (a-2) such as N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, N,N-diethylethylenediamine, N,N-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine, N,N-diethyl-1,3-propanediamine, N,N-dimethyl-1,4-butanediamine, N,N-diethyl-1,4-butanediamine, and N,N-dimethyl-1,6-hexanediamine 4 , R 5 are the same or different and are linear or branched alkyl groups, and R 6 , R 7 is a hydrogen atom, and R 8 is a linear or branched alkylene group.

[0116] Among these, R in the formula (a-2) 4 , R 5 are the same or different and are linear or branched alkyl groups, and R 6 , R 7 is a hydrogen atom, and R 8 is a linear or branched alkylene group [particularly, R4 , R 5 is a linear alkyl group, and R 6 , R 7 is a hydrogen atom, and R 8 is a linear alkylene group] is preferred.

[0117] R in formula (a-2) 4 , R 5 are the same or different and are linear or branched alkyl groups, and R 6 , R 7 In diamines in which R is a hydrogen atom, i.e., diamines having a primary amino group and a tertiary amino group, the primary amino group has a high coordination ability with metal atoms, but the tertiary amino group has a poor coordination ability with metal atoms, so the complex formed is prevented from becoming overly complex, and therefore, in the thermal decomposition step of the complex, thermal decomposition can be performed at a lower temperature and in a shorter time. Among these, diamines with a total carbon number of 6 or less (e.g., 1 to 6, preferably 4 to 6) are preferred, and diamines with a total carbon number of 5 or less (e.g., 1 to 5, preferably 4 to 5) are more preferred, because they can be removed from the surface of metal nanoparticles in a short time during low-temperature sintering.

[0118] The proportion of the content of monoamine (1) in the total amount of organic protective agent contained in the conductive ink of the present invention and the proportion of the total content of monoamine (2) and diamine (3) are preferably within the following ranges. Content of monoamine (1): for example, 5 to 65 mol% (the lower limit is preferably 10 mol%, particularly preferably 20 mol%, and most preferably 30 mol%; the upper limit is preferably 60 mol%, particularly preferably 50 mol%). Total content of monoamine (2) and diamine (3): for example, 35 to 95 mol% (the lower limit is preferably 40 mol%, particularly preferably 50 mol%; the upper limit is preferably 90 mol%, particularly preferably 80 mol%, and most preferably 70 mol%).

[0119] The proportion of the content of the monoamine (2) and the proportion of the content of the diamine (3) in the total amount of the organic protective agent contained in the conductive ink of the present invention are preferably in the following ranges. Content of monoamine (2): for example, 5 to 65 mol% (the lower limit is preferably 10 mol%, particularly preferably 20 mol%, and most preferably 30 mol%; the upper limit is preferably 60 mol%, particularly preferably 50 mol%). Content of diamine (3): for example, 5 to 50 mol % (the lower limit is preferably 10 mol %; the upper limit is preferably 40 mol %, particularly preferably 30 mol %)

[0120] By including monoamine (1) in the above range, dispersion stability of metal nanoparticles can be achieved. If the content of monoamine (1) is below the above range, the metal nanoparticles tend to aggregate easily. On the other hand, if the content of monoamine (1) is above the above range, it becomes difficult to remove the organic protective agent from the surface of the metal nanoparticles in a short time when the sintering temperature is low, and the electrical conductivity of the resulting sintered body tends to decrease.

[0121] By including the monoamine (2) in the above range, the complex formation can be promoted, and the organic protective agent can be removed from the surface of the metal nanoparticles in a short time even at a low sintering temperature, resulting in a sintered body with excellent electrical conductivity.

[0122] The diamine (3) content in the above range facilitates the formation of a complex and the thermal decomposition of the complex. Furthermore, the surface-modified metal nanoparticles coated with a protective agent containing diamine (3) exhibit excellent dispersion stability in highly polar dispersion media.

[0123] In the present invention, when monoamine (2) and / or diamine (3) having high coordination ability to metal atoms of a metal compound are used, the amount of monoamine (1) used can be reduced depending on the ratio of their use, and the organic protective agent can be removed from the surface of metal nanoparticles in a short time even at a low sintering temperature, which is preferable in that a sintered body with excellent conductivity can be obtained.

[0124] The amines used as the organic protective agent in the present invention may contain other amines in addition to the monoamine (1), monoamine (2), and diamine (3). However, the total content of the monoamine (1), monoamine (2), and diamine (3) in the total amines contained in the protective agent is preferably, for example, 60% by weight or more, particularly preferably 80% by weight or more, and most preferably 90% by weight or more. The upper limit is 100% by weight. That is, the content of other amines is preferably 40% by weight or less, particularly preferably 20% by weight or less, and most preferably 10% by weight or less.

[0125] The amount of organic protective agent [particularly, monoamine (1) + monoamine (2) + diamine (3)] used is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 1 to 50 moles, particularly preferably 2 to 50 moles, and most preferably 6 to 50 moles per mole of metal atom of the raw material metal compound. If the amount of organic protective agent used is below the above range, metal compound that is not converted into a complex tends to remain in the complex formation step, making it difficult to impart sufficient dispersibility to the metal nanoparticles.

[0126] For the purpose of further improving the dispersibility of metal nanoparticles, one or more compounds having a carboxyl group (for example, a compound having a carboxyl group and having 4 to 18 carbon atoms, preferably an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid having 4 to 18 carbon atoms) may be contained as an organic protective agent together with a compound having an amino group.

[0127] Examples of the aliphatic monocarboxylic acid include saturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having 4 or more carbon atoms, such as butanoic acid, pentanoic acid, hexanoic acid, heptanoic acid, octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, tridecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, nonadecanoic acid, and icosanoic acid; and unsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having 8 or more carbon atoms, such as oleic acid, elaidic acid, linoleic acid, palmitoleic acid, and eicosenoic acid.

[0128] Among these, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having 8 to 18 carbon atoms (especially octanoic acid, oleic acid, etc.) are preferred. When the carboxyl group of the aliphatic monocarboxylic acid is adsorbed onto the surface of a metal nanoparticle, the saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon chain having 8 to 18 carbon atoms acts as a steric hindrance, ensuring spacing between other metal nanoparticles and improving the effect of preventing aggregation of the metal nanoparticles.

[0129] The amount of the compound having a carboxyl group used is, for example, about 0.05 to 10 moles, preferably 0.1 to 5 moles, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 2 moles, per mole of metal atom of the metal compound. If the amount of the compound having a carboxyl group used is below the above range, it is difficult to obtain an effect of improving dispersion stability. On the other hand, even if an excessive amount of the compound having a carboxyl group is used, the effect of improving dispersion stability saturates, but it tends to be difficult to remove by low-temperature sintering.

[0130] The reaction between the organic protective agent and the metal compound is carried out in the presence or absence of a dispersion medium, such as an alcohol having three or more carbon atoms.

[0131] Examples of the alcohol having 3 or more carbon atoms include n-propanol (boiling point: 97°C), isopropanol (boiling point: 82°C), n-butanol (boiling point: 117°C), isobutanol (boiling point: 107.89°C), sec-butanol (boiling point: 99.5°C), tert-butanol (boiling point: 82.45°C), n-pentanol (boiling point: 136°C), n-hexanol (boiling point: 156°C), n-octanol (boiling point: 194°C), and 2-octanol (boiling point: 174°C). Among these, alcohols having 4 to 6 carbon atoms are preferred, and n-butanol and n-hexanol are particularly preferred, in terms of the ability to set a high temperature in the subsequent thermal decomposition step of the complex and the convenience of post-treatment of the resulting surface-modified metal nanoparticles.

[0132] The amount of the dispersion medium used is, for example, 120 parts by weight or more, preferably 130 parts by weight or more, more preferably 150 parts by weight or more, relative to 100 parts by weight of the metal compound. The upper limit of the amount of the dispersion medium used is, for example, 1000 parts by weight, preferably 800 parts by weight, particularly preferably 500 parts by weight.

[0133] The reaction between the organic protective agent and the metal compound is preferably carried out at room temperature (5 to 40° C.). Since the reaction involves heat generation due to the coordination reaction of the organic protective agent to the metal compound, the reaction may be carried out while appropriately cooling so that the temperature falls within the above range.

[0134] The reaction time between the organic protecting agent and the metal compound is, for example, about 30 minutes to 3 hours, and thereby a metal-organic protecting agent complex (a metal-amine complex when an amine is used as the organic protecting agent) is obtained.

[0135] (pyrolysis process) The thermal decomposition step is a step in which the metal-organic protective agent complex obtained through the complex formation step is thermally decomposed to form surface-modified metal nanoparticles. By heating the metal-organic protective agent complex, the metal compound is thermally decomposed to generate metal atoms while maintaining the coordinate bond of the organic protective agent to the metal atoms. Next, the metal atoms coordinated with the organic protective agent aggregate to form metal nanoparticles coated with an organic protective film.

[0136] The thermal decomposition is preferably carried out in the presence of a dispersion medium, and the above-mentioned alcohols can be suitably used as the dispersion medium. The thermal decomposition temperature may be any temperature at which surface-modified metal nanoparticles are produced. When the metal-organic protective agent complex is a silver oxalate-organic protective agent complex, the thermal decomposition temperature is, for example, about 80 to 120°C, preferably 95 to 115°C, and particularly preferably 100 to 110°C. From the viewpoint of preventing detachment of the surface-modified moieties of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles, the thermal decomposition is preferably carried out at a temperature as low as possible within the above temperature range. The thermal decomposition time is, for example, about 10 minutes to 5 hours.

[0137] The thermal decomposition of the metal-organic protective agent complex is preferably carried out in an air atmosphere or an inert gas atmosphere such as argon.

[0138] (Cleaning process) After the thermal decomposition reaction of the metal-organic protective agent complex is complete, if any excess organic protective agent remains, it is preferable to perform decantation once or twice or more times to remove it. Furthermore, after decantation, the surface-modified metal nanoparticles are preferably subjected to the conductive ink preparation step described below in a wet state without being dried or solidified, as this prevents re-aggregation of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles and maintains high dispersibility.

[0139] Decantation is carried out, for example, by washing the surface-modified metal nanoparticles in a suspension with a detergent, settling the surface-modified metal nanoparticles by centrifugation, and removing the supernatant. As the detergent, it is preferable to use one or more linear or branched alcohols having 1 to 4 carbon atoms (preferably 1 to 2 carbon atoms), such as methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, and isopropanol, because this allows for good settling of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles and allows the detergent to be efficiently separated and removed by centrifugation after washing.

[0140] In the present invention, the ink used in the inkjet printing method (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "ink for inkjet printing") can be prepared by mixing the surface-modified metal nanoparticles (preferably surface-modified metal nanoparticles in a wet state) obtained through the above process with a dispersion medium, and, if necessary, additives. For the mixing, commonly known mixing equipment such as a planetary mixer, a homogenizer, a planetary mixer, a three-roll mill, or a bead mill can be used. Furthermore, the components may be mixed simultaneously or sequentially. The blending ratio of each component can be adjusted appropriately within the following ranges.

[0141] The content of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles (in terms of metal element) in the total amount (100% by weight) of the ink for inkjet printing is, for example, about 35 to 70% by weight. From the viewpoint of obtaining a coating film or sintered body with a higher thickness, the lower limit is preferably 40% by weight, particularly preferably 45% by weight, most preferably 50% by weight, and particularly preferably 55% by weight. From the viewpoint of coatability (ejection stability from a head nozzle when applying by inkjet printing), the upper limit is preferably 65% ​​by weight, particularly preferably 60% by weight.

[0142] The dispersion medium contained in the inkjet printing ink can be any commonly used organic solvent, without any particular limitation, and examples thereof include aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents such as pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, undecane, dodecane, tridecane, and tetradecane; aromatic hydrocarbon solvents such as toluene, xylene, and mesitylene; and alcohol solvents such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, n-butanol, n-pentanol, n-hexanol, n-heptanol, n-octanol, n-nonanol, n-decanol, and terpineol. The type and amount of organic solvent can be appropriately selected depending on the desired concentration and viscosity. The organic solvents used as the dispersion medium can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0143] The content of the dispersion medium in the ink for inkjet printing (in terms of metal element) is 20 to 100 parts by weight, preferably 30 to 90 parts by weight, more preferably 40 to 80 parts by weight, even more preferably 50 to 75 parts by weight, particularly preferably 55 to 75 parts by weight, and most preferably 60 to 75 parts by weight, relative to 100 parts by weight of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles.

[0144] The content of the dispersion medium in the total amount (100% by weight) of the ink for inkjet printing is, for example, 20 to 65% by weight, preferably 25 to 60% by weight, more preferably 30 to 55% by weight, and most preferably 30 to 50% by weight. Since the ink for inkjet printing contains the dispersion medium in this range, the ink for inkjet printing has excellent coatability, and when applied by inkjet printing, it is possible to maintain good ejection stability from the nozzles of the head.

[0145] The viscosity of the inkjet printing ink (at 25°C and a shear rate of 10 (1 / s)) is, for example, 1 to 100 mPa·s. The upper limit of the viscosity is preferably 50 mPa·s, particularly preferably 20 mPa·s, and most preferably 15 mPa·s. The lower limit of the viscosity is preferably 2 mPa·s, particularly preferably 3 mPa·s, and most preferably 5 mPa·s.

[0146] The inkjet printing ink obtained above can also be used in printing methods other than inkjet printing, such as gravure printing and flexographic printing.

[0147] The screen printing method of the present invention is a method including a step of passing ink containing a conductive substance through a screen having openings corresponding to the wiring pattern by squeegeeing (pushing out the ink with a squeegee), thereby transferring the wiring pattern to the optical component.

[0148] The ink containing a conductive substance used in the screen printing method of the present invention (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "screen printing ink") is not particularly limited as long as it can be used for screen printing. However, from the viewpoint of facilitating the formation of wiring of a desired width at a desired position on an optical component, an ink containing surface-modified metal nanoparticles is preferred, and a silver ink is particularly preferred.

[0149] The "surface-modified metal nanoparticles" contained in the screen printing ink can be the same as the "surface-modified metal nanoparticles" used in the inkjet printing ink described above, and can be produced by a similar method.

[0150] The screen printing ink can be prepared by mixing the surface-modified metal nanoparticles (preferably in a wet state), a solvent, and, if necessary, additives. For the mixing, a commonly known mixing device such as a planetary mixer, a homogenizer, a planetary mixer, a three-roll mill, or a bead mill can be used. The components may be mixed simultaneously or sequentially. The blending ratio of each component can be adjusted appropriately within the following ranges.

[0151] The content of the surface-modified metal nanoparticles in the total amount (100% by weight) of the screen printing ink is, for example, 60 to 85% by weight, with the lower limit being preferably 70% by weight in order to obtain the effect of improving adhesion to optical members, and the upper limit being preferably 80% by weight, and particularly preferably 75% by weight.

[0152] The solvent contained in the screen printing ink can be any commonly used organic solvent, without any particular limitation, and examples include aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents such as pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane, decane, undecane, dodecane, tridecane, and tetradecane; aromatic hydrocarbon solvents such as toluene, xylene, and mesitylene; and alcohol solvents such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, n-butanol, n-pentanol, n-hexanol, n-heptanol, n-octanol, n-nonanol, n-decanol, and terpineol. However, it is preferable for the ink to contain at least a terpene solvent, as this suppresses clogging of the screen stencil due to solvent evaporation, thereby enabling continuous printing.

[0153] The terpene solvent preferably has a boiling point of 130° C. or higher (for example, 130 to 300° C., preferably 200 to 300° C.).

[0154] Furthermore, it is preferable to use a terpene solvent with a viscosity (at 20°C) of, for example, 50 to 250 mPa·s (particularly preferably 100 to 250 mPa·s, and most preferably 150 to 250 mPa·s), as this allows the viscosity of the resulting screen printing ink to be appropriately increased, making it possible to print fine lines with excellent precision. The viscosity of the solvent was measured using a rheometer (trade name "Physica MCR301", manufactured by Anton Paar) at 20°C and a shear rate of 20 (1 / s).

[0155] Examples of the terpene solvents include 4-(1'-acetoxy-1'-methyl ester)-cyclohexanol acetate, 1,2,5,6-tetrahydrobenzyl alcohol, 1,2,5,6-tetrahydrobenzyl acetate, cyclohexyl acetate, 2-methylcyclohexyl acetate, 4-t-butylcyclohexyl acetate, terpineol, dihydroterpineol, dihydroterpinyl acetate, α-terpineol, β-terpineol, γ-terpineol, L-α-terpineol, dihydroterpinyloxyethanol, terpinyl methyl ether, dihydroterpinyl methyl ether, etc. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. In the present invention, for example, commercially available products such as those sold under the trade names "Tersolve MTPH," "Tersolve IPG," "Tersolve IPG-Ac," "Tersolve IPG-2Ac," "Terpineol C" (a mixture of α-terpineol, β-terpineol, and γ-terpineol, boiling point: 218°C, viscosity: 54 mPa·s), "Tersolve DTO-210," "Tersolve THA-90," "Tersolve THA-70" (boiling point: 223°C, viscosity: 198 mPa·s), and "Tersolve TOE-100" (all manufactured by Nippon Terpene Chemical Co., Ltd.) can be used.

[0156] The solvent used in the screen printing ink may contain one or more other solvents in addition to the terpene solvent, such as glycol ether solvents with a boiling point of 130°C or higher.

[0157] The glycol ether solvent includes, for example, a compound represented by the following formula (b): R 11 -(OR 13 ) m -OR 12 (b) (In the formula, R 11 , R 12 are the same or different and represent an alkyl group or an acyl group; R 13 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and m represents an integer of 1 or more. Examples of the compound include compounds represented by the following formula:

[0158] R 11 , R 12 The alkyl group in the formula (I) can be a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms (preferably 1 to 5 carbon atoms).

[0159] R 11 , R 12 Examples of the acyl group (RCO- group) in the formula (I) include acyl groups in which R is a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms (preferably 1 to 5 carbon atoms) (e.g., acetyl group, propionyl group, butyryl group, isobutyryl group, pivaloyl group, etc.).

[0160] Among them, R in formula (b) 11 , R 12 are different groups (different alkyl groups, different acyl groups, or an alkyl group and an acyl group), and 11 , R 12 However, compounds in which these alkyl groups are different from each other are particularly preferred, and compounds in which a straight-chain or branched-chain alkyl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms (preferably 4 to 6) and a straight-chain or branched-chain alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms are combined are most preferred.

[0161] R 13Examples of the alkylene group in include a methylene group, a methylmethylene group, a dimethylmethylene group, an ethylene group, a propylene group, a trimethylene group, a tetramethylene group, a pentamethylene group, a hexamethylene group, etc. In the present invention, among these, an alkylene group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms is preferred, an alkylene group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms is particularly preferred, and an alkylene group having 2 to 3 carbon atoms is most preferred.

[0162] m is an integer of 1 or more, for example, an integer of 1 to 8, preferably an integer of 1 to 3, and particularly preferably an integer of 2 to 3.

[0163] The boiling point of the compound represented by the formula (b) is, for example, 130°C or higher (for example, 130 to 300°C), preferably 170°C or higher, and particularly preferably 200°C or higher.

[0164] Examples of the compound represented by formula (b) include ethylene glycol methyl ether acetate (boiling point: 145°C), ethylene glycol-n-butyl ether acetate (boiling point: 188°C), propylene glycol methyl-n-propyl ether (boiling point: 131°C), propylene glycol methyl-n-butyl ether (boiling point: 155°C), propylene glycol methyl isoamyl ether (boiling point: 176°C), propylene glycol diacetate (boiling point: 190°C), propylene glycol methyl ether acetate (boiling point: 146°C), 3-methoxybutyl acetate (boiling point: 171°C), 1,3-butylene glycol diacetate (boiling point: 232°C), and 1,4-butanediol diacetate. (boiling point: 232°C), 1,6-hexanediol diacetate (boiling point: 260°C), diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (boiling point: 162°C), diethylene glycol diethyl ether (boiling point: 189°C), diethylene glycol dibutyl ether (boiling point: 256°C), diethylene glycol ethyl methyl ether (boiling point: 176°C), diethylene glycol isopropyl methyl ether (boiling point: 179°C), diethylene glycol methyl n-butyl ether (boiling point: 212°C), diethylene glycol n-butyl ether acetate (boiling point: 247°C), diethylene glycol ethyl ether acetate (boiling point: 218°C), diethylene glycol butyl ether acetate (boiling point: 246°C).Examples of glycol diethers include glycol ether acetates and glycol diacetates such as ethylene glycol methyl ether (boiling point: 218°C), dipropylene glycol methyl isopentyl ether (boiling point: 227°C), dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether (boiling point: 175°C), dipropylene glycol methyl n-propyl ether (boiling point: 203°C), dipropylene glycol methyl n-butyl ether (boiling point: 216°C), dipropylene glycol methyl cyclopentyl ether (boiling point: 286°C), dipropylene glycol methyl ether acetate (boiling point: 195°C), triethylene glycol dimethyl ether (boiling point: 216°C), triethylene glycol methyl n-butyl ether (boiling point: 261°C), tripropylene glycol methyl n-propyl ether (boiling point: 258°C), tripropylene glycol dimethyl ether (boiling point: 215°C), and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (boiling point: 275°C). These may be used alone or in combination of two or more. .

[0165] The glycol ether solvent may further include, for example, a glycol ether represented by the following formula (b'): R 14 -(OR 15 ) n -OH (b') (In the formula, R 14 represents an alkyl group or an aryl group, and R 15 represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and n represents an integer of 1 or more. It may contain a compound (glycol monoether) represented by the following formula:

[0166] R 14 In the formula (I), examples of the alkyl group include linear or branched alkyl groups having 1 to 10 carbon atoms (preferably 1 to 5). Examples of the aryl group include aryl groups having 6 to 10 carbon atoms (such as a phenyl group).

[0167] R 15Examples of the alkylene group in include straight-chain or branched-chain alkylene groups such as methylene, methylmethylene, dimethylmethylene, ethylene, propylene, trimethylene, tetramethylene, pentamethylene, and hexamethylene. Of these, alkylene groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms are preferred, alkylene groups having 1 to 3 carbon atoms are particularly preferred, and alkylene groups having 2 to 3 carbon atoms are most preferred.

[0168] n is an integer of 1 or more, for example, an integer of 1 to 8, preferably an integer of 1 to 3, and particularly preferably an integer of 2 to 3.

[0169] The boiling point of the compound represented by formula (b') is, for example, 130°C or higher (e.g., 130 to 310°C), preferably 130 to 250°C, particularly preferably 130 to 200°C, most preferably 130 to 180°C, and particularly preferably 140 to 180°C.

[0170] Examples of the compound represented by the formula (b') include ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (boiling point: 124°C), ethylene glycol monoisopropyl ether (boiling point: 141.8°C), ethylene glycol monobutyl ether (boiling point: 171.2°C), ethylene glycol monoisobutyl ether (boiling point: 160.5°C), ethylene glycol mono-t-butyl ether (boiling point: 152°C), ethylene glycol monohexyl ether (boiling point: 208°C), ethylene glycol mono-2-ethylhexyl ether (boiling point: 229°C), ethylene glycol monophenyl ether (boiling point: 244.7°C), ethylene glycol monobenzyl ether (boiling point: 256°C), diethylene glycol monomethyl ether (boiling point: 194°C), diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (=butyl carbitol, boiling point: 230°C), diethylene glycol monoisobutyl ether (boiling point: 220°C), diethylene glycol monoisopropyl ... ether (boiling point: 207°C), diethylene glycol monopentyl ether (boiling point: 162°C), diethylene glycol monoisopentyl ether, diethylene glycol monohexyl ether (=hexyl carbitol, boiling point: 259.1°C), diethylene glycol mono-2-ethylhexyl ether (boiling point: 272°C), diethylene glycol monophenyl ether (boiling point: 283°C), diethylene glycol monobenzyl ether (boiling point: 302°C), triethylene glycol Examples include glycol monomethyl ether (boiling point: 249°C), triethylene glycol monobutyl ether (boiling point: 271.2°C), propylene glycol monoethyl ether (boiling point: 132.8°C), propylene glycol monopropyl ether (boiling point: 149°C), propylene glycol monobutyl ether (boiling point: 170°C), dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether (boiling point: 188°C), 3-methoxy-1-butanol (boiling point: 158°C), etc. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0171] The content of the terpene solvent in the total amount (100% by weight) of the screen printing ink is, for example, 5 to 30% by weight, with the lower limit being preferably 10% by weight, and particularly preferably 14% by weight. The upper limit is preferably 25% by weight, and particularly preferably 18% by weight. By including the terpene solvent in the above range, it is possible to obtain the effects of suppressing bleeding, improving the precision of drawing fine lines, and improving continuous printing properties.

[0172] The content of the compound represented by formula (b) in the total amount (100% by weight) of the screen printing ink is, for example, 0.5 to 5% by weight, with the lower limit preferably being 1.6% by weight. The upper limit is preferably 3% by weight, and particularly preferably 2% by weight. By including the compound represented by formula (b) in the above range, thixotropy is imparted, making it possible to make the edges of the printed portion sharper and improving printing accuracy. In addition, the effect of improving continuous printing can also be obtained.

[0173] The screen printing ink may contain the compound represented by formula (b') in an amount of, for example, 10% by weight or less (5 to 10% by weight), preferably 8.5% by weight or less, of the total amount of the ink.

[0174] The screen printing ink may contain, in addition to the compound represented by formula (b) and the compound represented by formula (b'), one or more other solvents [for example, ethyl acetate lactate (boiling point: 181°C), tetrahydrofurfuryl acetate (boiling point: 195°C), tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (boiling point: 176°C), ethylene glycol (boiling point: 197°C)] as solvents having a boiling point of 130°C or higher, but the content of other solvents having a boiling point of 130°C or higher is 30% by weight or less, preferably 20% by weight or less, particularly preferably 15% by weight or less, most preferably 10% by weight or less, even more preferably 5% by weight or less, and particularly preferably 1% by weight or less of the total amount of solvents contained in the screen printing ink.

[0175] Furthermore, the screen printing ink may also contain a solvent with a boiling point of less than 130°C [for example, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (boiling point: 85°C), propylene glycol monomethyl ether (boiling point: 120°C), propylene glycol dimethyl ether (boiling point: 97°C), etc.], but the content of solvents with a boiling point of less than 130°C (the total amount if two or more solvents are contained) in the total amount of the screen printing ink (100% by weight) is preferably 20% by weight or less, more preferably 10% by weight or less, particularly preferably 5% by weight or less, and most preferably 1% by weight or less. When the content of solvents with a boiling point of less than 130°C is kept within the above range in the screen printing ink, clogging of the screen stencil caused by evaporation of the solvent can be suppressed, making continuous printing more likely.

[0176] The solvents used in the screen printing ink may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0177] In addition to the above components, the screen printing ink may contain additives as needed, such as a binder resin, a surface energy adjuster, a plasticizer, a leveling agent, an antifoaming agent, an adhesion imparting agent, etc. Among these, it is preferable for the screen printing ink to contain a binder resin, since this has the effect of improving the adhesion and flexibility of the sintered body obtained by applying (or printing) the screen printing ink onto an optical member and then sintering the sintered body to the optical member.

[0178] Examples of the binder resin include vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer resin, polyvinyl butyral resin, polyester resin, acrylic resin, and cellulose resin. These can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Among these, it is preferable to use a cellulose resin, and for example, commercially available products such as "Ethocel std. 200" and "Ethocel std. 300" (both manufactured by The Dow Chemical Company) can be used.

[0179] The content of the binder resin (for example, cellulose-based resin) is, for example, about 0.5 to 5.0% by weight, and preferably 1.0 to 3.0% by weight, of the total amount of the screen printing ink.

[0180] The viscosity of the screen printing ink (at 25°C and a shear rate of 10 (1 / s)) is, for example, 60 Pa·s or more, preferably 70 Pa·s or more, more preferably 80 Pa·s or more, even more preferably 90 Pa·s or more, still more preferably 100 Pa·s or more, and particularly preferably 150 Pa·s or more. The upper limit of the viscosity is, for example, about 500 Pa·s, preferably 450 Pa·s, particularly preferably 400 Pa·s, and most preferably 350 Pa·s.

[0181] The viscosity of the screen printing ink (at 25°C and a shear rate of 100 (1 / s)) is, for example, in the range of 10 to 100 Pa·s, with the upper limit preferably being 80 Pa·s, particularly preferably 60 Pa·s, most preferably 50 Pa·s, and particularly preferably 40 Pa·s. The lower limit is preferably 15 Pa·s, particularly preferably 20 Pa·s, most preferably 25 Pa·s, and particularly preferably 30 Pa·s.

[0182] The screen printing ink preferably has thixotropy, and the TI value at 25°C (viscosity at a shear rate of 10 (1 / s) / viscosity at a shear rate of 100 (1 / s)) is, for example, in the range of 3.0 to 10.0, preferably 3.5 to 7.0, particularly preferably 4.0 to 6.5, most preferably 4.5 to 6.3, and especially preferably 4.8 to 6.2.

[0183] As the screen printing ink, a commercially available product, for example, silver paste ink (product name: NP-2910D1) manufactured by Noritake Limited, can also be used.

[0184] The method of forming wiring on an optical member of the present invention includes a step of applying the ink to the optical member by a printing method, and a step of sintering the ink.

[0185] In the optical member of the present invention, the surface on which the wiring is formed may be subjected to a known or conventional surface treatment such as a roughening treatment, an easy-adhesion treatment, an antistatic treatment, a sandblasting treatment (sand matting treatment), a corona discharge treatment, a plasma treatment, an excimer treatment, a chemical etching treatment, a water matting treatment, a flame treatment, an acid treatment, an alkali treatment, an oxidation treatment, an ultraviolet irradiation treatment, or a silane coupling agent treatment. The surface to be surface-treated is preferably the non-optical element region. On the other hand, the optical element region may or may not be surface-treated.

[0186] The thickness of the coating film obtained by applying the ink is preferably in the range of, for example, 0.1 to 5 μm (preferably 0.5 to 2 μm) so that the thickness of the sintered body obtained by sintering the coating film is, for example.

[0187] The width of the coating film obtained by applying the ink is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the shape and size of the optical component. The width of the sintered body obtained by sintering the coating film is, for example, 200 μm or less (e.g., 1 to 200 μm), preferably in the range of 10 to 100 μm.

[0188] The coating film formed as described above can be sintered to form conductive wiring (sintered body). The sintering temperature is, for example, 150°C or lower (the lower limit of the sintering temperature is, for example, 60°C, and 100°C is more preferred because sintering can be performed in a short time), particularly preferably 130°C or lower, and most preferably 120°C or lower. The sintering time is, for example, 0.5 to 3 hours, preferably 0.5 to 2 hours, and particularly preferably 0.5 to 1 hour.

[0189] The width of the wiring formed on the optical member of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the shape and size of the optical member, and is, for example, 200 μm or less (e.g., 1 to 200 μm), preferably in the range of 10 to 100 μm. By setting the wiring width in this range, electrical conductivity can be easily ensured.

[0190] In the optical element of the present invention, the position where the wiring containing the conductive material is formed is not particularly limited, but when the optical element has the above-mentioned optical element region and non-optical element region, it is preferable that the wiring be formed in the non-optical element region so as not to impair the illuminance of the laser light or the structural light irradiated from the surface-emitting laser light source and controlled by the optical element.

[0191] When the optical member of the present invention is in the form of a substrate, the wiring containing a conductive material may be formed on only one surface, or on both surfaces.

[0192] When forming wiring by applying ink containing a conductive material to an optical element by a printing method, the optical element is preferably an optical element array in which two or more optical elements are arranged two-dimensionally. Specifically, it is preferable that two or more optical element regions are arranged two-dimensionally, and these optical element regions are connected via non-optical element regions. By using an optical element array, wiring containing a conductive material can be formed for each optical element simultaneously, thereby significantly improving production efficiency.

[0193] The optical element array can be easily manufactured by using, as a mold for manufacturing the optical member, a mold having a molding surface on which inverted shapes corresponding to two or more optical elements arranged two-dimensionally on the optical element array are arranged two-dimensionally.

[0194] After wiring is applied to each of the optical elements arranged on the optical element array, the optical element can be singulated to obtain the optical member of the present invention. Specifically, the non-optical element region connecting two or more optical element regions can be cut to obtain the optical member of the present invention having singulated optical element regions.

[0195] There are no particular limitations on the means for dividing the optical element array into individual pieces, and any known and commonly used means can be used. Among these, it is preferable to use a blade that rotates at high speed.

[0196] When cutting using a blade that rotates at high speed, the blade rotation speed is, for example, about 10,000 to 50,000 revolutions per minute. Furthermore, since frictional heat is generated when cutting an optical element array using a blade that rotates at high speed, it is preferable to cut the optical element array while cooling it, as this can prevent the optical elements from deforming or their optical properties from deteriorating due to frictional heat. The optical elements obtained by cutting the optical element array at the non-optical element region include the optical element region and the non-optical element region around it.

[0197] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a preferred embodiment of an optical member of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a top view, and (c) is a side view. The optical member 10 of FIG. 1 has an optical element region 11, in which optical elements are formed, formed in the center of the lower surface of the optical member 10, and a non-optical element region 12, in which no optical elements are formed, surrounding the optical element region 11. Although no optical elements are formed on the upper surface of the optical member 10, the regions corresponding to the optical element region 11 and the non-optical element region 12 when viewed from the top are referred to as the optical element region 11 and the non-optical element region 12, respectively. The wiring 13 is formed in the non-optical element region 12 on the upper surface of the optical member 10 so as to surround the periphery of the optical element region 11. By arranging the wiring 13 in this manner, if damage such as a crack occurs in the optical element region 11 of the optical member 10, the wiring 13 will break and will no longer be able to conduct electricity. Therefore, by monitoring the electrical conduction state of the wiring 13, it is possible to detect damage such as cracks in the optical member 10, particularly damage to the optical element region 11. At both ends of the wiring 13, electrical conduction detection mechanism connection parts 14 are formed for connection to an electrical conduction detection mechanism, which will be described later.

[0198] In FIG. 1, the optical member 10 (square on the top surface) has a side of about 2 mm, the optical element region (square) has a side of about 1 mm, a thickness of about 300 μm, a total light transmittance of about 90%, and a haze of about 0.5%.

[0199] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another preferred embodiment of the optical element of the present invention, where (a) is a top view and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X-X'. The optical element 20 of FIG. 2 has an optical element region 11, in which optical elements are formed, formed in the center of the underside of the optical element 20. The optical element region 11 is surrounded by a non-optical element region 12, in which no optical elements are formed. Wiring 13 is formed in the non-optical element region 12 on the underside of the optical element 20, surrounding the optical element region 11. If damage such as a crack occurs in the optical element region 11 of the optical element 20, the wiring 13 will break and become unable to conduct electricity. Therefore, similar to FIG. 1, by monitoring the electrical conduction state of the wiring 13, damage such as a crack extending to the optical element 10, particularly to the optical element region 11, can be detected. Connections 14 for a current detection mechanism, which will be described later, are formed on both ends of the wiring 13. The current detection mechanism connection sites 14 are also formed at the tips of protrusions 15 protruding from the underside of the optical element 20. By forming the energization detection mechanism connection portion 14 at the tip of the protrusion 15, it becomes easier to connect to the energization detection mechanism, as shown in FIG. 4 described later.

[0200] [Vertical-emitting laser light source] The laser module having the optical member of the present invention has a surface-emitting laser light source as a light source. The surface-emitting laser light source used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and a vertical external cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) having an external resonator. VCSELs are preferred because they are widely used for 3D sensing and are low-cost.

[0201] The laser light emitted by the surface-emitting laser light source may be visible light, ultraviolet light, or infrared light, but near-infrared light having a wavelength of 750 to 2500 nm, which is highly safe and is often used in 3D sensing, is preferred, and near-infrared light having a wavelength of 800 to 1000 nm, which is less susceptible to the influence of environmental light such as sunlight, is particularly preferred. The output light intensity is also not particularly limited and can be selected appropriately depending on the application and purpose.

[0202] [Laser module] The laser module of the present invention includes the optical element of the present invention and the above-mentioned surface-emitting laser light source. The embodiment of the laser module of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is arranged so that the laser light emitted from the surface-emitting laser light source passes through the optical element (preferably an optical element region formed in the optical element). When the optical element has an optical element, the laser light that passes through the optical element region is controlled and shaped into uniform light, structured light, etc.

[0203] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a preferred embodiment of a laser module of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) are cross-sectional views taken along lines Y-Y' and Z-Z'. In the laser module 30 of FIG. 3, a surface-emitting laser light source 33 such as a VCSEL is disposed at the upper center of a substrate 31, and an optical element 10 is disposed above the surface-emitting laser light source 33 via a spacer 32. An optical element region 11 is disposed at the center of the lower surface of the optical element 10, and abuts against the spacer 32 at the outer edge of a non-optical element region 12 on the lower surface. Wiring 13 is formed in the non-optical element region 12 on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the optical element 10, and both ends of the wiring 13 are formed with connection portions 14 for a current detection mechanism that connects to a current detection mechanism, which will be described later. Laser light 34 emitted by the surface-emitting laser light source 33 passes through optical elements such as a microlens array and an optical diffraction grating in the optical element region 11, and is irradiated from the laser module 30 as laser light 35 that is controlled and shaped into uniform light or structured light.

[0204] If damage such as a crack occurs that extends to the optical element region 11 of the optical member 10, the optical elements in the optical element region 11 will no longer function properly, and the laser light 34 will not be sufficiently diffused in the optical element region 11 and will be emitted from the laser module 30, which may cause a malfunction or false operation of the laser device equipped with the laser module 30. If damage such as a crack occurs in the optical element region 11 of the optical member 10, the wiring 13 formed to surround the optical element region 11 will break and will no longer be able to conduct electricity. Therefore, damage to the optical member 10 can be detected by monitoring the state of current flowing through the wiring 13.

[0205] In addition to the optical element and the surface-emitting laser, the laser module of the present invention preferably further comprises a current detection mechanism for detecting the current state of the wiring containing a conductive material of the optical element. The form of the current detection mechanism is not particularly limited as long as it can detect the current state of the wiring, but a form having electrodes connected to both ends of the wiring is preferred.

[0206] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another preferred embodiment of the laser module of the present invention. The laser module 40 of FIG. 4 has the optical element 20 of FIG. 2 mounted on a current detection mechanism 41, with a substrate 31 and a surface-emitting laser light source 33 disposed below. The current detection mechanism 41 includes a holder 43 for holding the optical element 20 and an electrode 42 laminated on the holder 43. The electrode 42 is not particularly limited as long as it conducts electricity, but is preferably made of copper. The holder 43 has a protrusion 43a on its upper periphery, within which the optical element 20 is housed. The electrode 42 is laminated on the inner surface and top surface of the holder 43. The upper end of the electrode 42 abuts against the connection portion 14 of the current detection mechanism on the optical element 20, holding the optical element 20 from below. The lower end of the electrode 42, together with the other electrode, is connected to a current detector (not shown) to monitor the electrical conduction state of the wiring 13. When damage such as a crack occurs in the optical member 20, the damage to the optical member 20 can be detected by detecting that the wiring 13 is broken and cannot conduct electricity.

[0207] The laser module of the present invention can be suitably used as a laser module for generating depth information in 3D sensing. Methods for generating depth information include, for example, the TOF (Time of Flight) method, the structured light method, the stereo matching method, and the SfM (Structure from Motion) method. The TOF method irradiates a target space with near-infrared light, receives the reflected light from an object in the target space, measures the time from irradiating the near-infrared light to receiving the reflected light, and calculates the distance to the object in the target space based on that time. The structured light method projects a predetermined near-infrared projection pattern onto an object in the target space and detects the shape (depth) of the object in the target space based on the deformation of the projection pattern. The stereo matching method calculates the distance to the object based on the parallax between two captured images of the object captured from different positions. The SfM method detects depth by calculating and optimizing the relationship between images, such as aligning feature points, using multiple captured images captured from different angles.

[0208] [Laser Devices] The laser device of the present invention is characterized by including the laser module of the present invention. Because the laser device of the present invention includes the laser module of the present invention, it can easily detect damage such as cracks and peeling in the optical components used in the laser module, thereby preventing damage to the laser module and malfunctions caused by damage to the optical components. Therefore, the laser device of the present invention can be suitably used in 3D sensing applications that are suited to these characteristics. For example, in smartphone face recognition, the device can send an error message to the user to warn them, or prevent the laser light from being directly irradiated into the user's eyes, thereby reducing the risk of blindness. Furthermore, in autonomous driving of automobiles, the device can detect malfunctions in 3D sensing systems equipped with a laser module and send an error message to the driver, thereby preventing accidents caused by malfunctions. The device can also be suitably used in a variety of 3D sensing applications, such as 3D mapping recognition cameras, gesture recognition controllers for game consoles, and machine vision in factories. [Example]

[0209] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0210] Manufacturing Example 1 (Manufacturing of Optical Components Without Wiring) 5 g of epoxy resin (CELVENUS106, Daicel Corporation) was dropped onto a disk-shaped silicone resin substrate with a diameter of 100 mm, in which a 9 × 9 inverted pattern of a diffractive optical element was arranged in one section (2.5 mm long × 2.5 mm wide). The mold was then closed to form a flat silicone resin substrate of the same size with a thickness of approximately 0.3 mm. The substrate was then exposed to 100 mW / cm 2 The upper and lower silicone resin substrates were removed, yielding a cured epoxy resin optical component with a disk-shaped section (2.5 mm long x 2.5 mm wide) containing 9 x 9 diffractive optical elements.

[0211] Manufacturing Example 2 (Manufacturing of Optical Components Without Wiring) 5 g of epoxy resin (CELVENUS106, Daicel Corporation) was dropped onto a disk-shaped silicone resin substrate with a diameter of 100 mm, in which a 9 × 9 inverted pattern of a diffractive optical element was arranged in one section (2.5 mm long × 2.5 mm wide). The mold was then closed with a flat glass substrate of the same size so that the thickness was approximately 0.3 mm, and the substrate was exposed to 100 mW / cm 2 The lower silicone resin substrate was removed, yielding an optical component consisting of a glass substrate and a cured epoxy resin layer with 9 × 9 diffractive optical elements arranged in a single section (2.5 mm long × 2.5 mm wide).

[0212] Production Example 3 (Preparation of surface-modified silver nanoparticles) Complexation step Silver oxalate (molecular weight: 303.78) was obtained from silver nitrate (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) and oxalic acid dihydrate (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.). 20.0 g (65.8 mmol) of the silver oxalate was placed in a 500 mL flask, and 30.0 g of n-butanol was added thereto to prepare an n-butanol slurry of silver oxalate. To this slurry was added dropwise at 30°C an amine mixture consisting of 57.8 g (790.1 mmol) of n-butylamine (molecular weight: 73.14, manufactured by Daicel Corporation), 40.0 g (395.0 mmol) of n-hexylamine (molecular weight: 101.19, manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), 38.3 g (296.3 mmol) of n-octylamine (molecular weight: 129.25, trade name "Farmin 08D", manufactured by Kao Corporation), 18.3 g (98.8 mmol) of n-dodecylamine (molecular weight: 185.35, trade name "Farmin 20D", manufactured by Kao Corporation), and 40.4 g (395.0 mmol) of N,N-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamine (molecular weight: 102.18, manufactured by Koei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.). After the dropwise addition, the mixture was stirred at 30° C. for 2 hours to allow the complex-forming reaction between silver oxalate and amine to proceed, yielding a white substance (silver oxalate-amine complex).

[0213] Pyrolysis process After the formation of the silver oxalate-amine complex, the temperature of the reaction solution was raised from 30°C to approximately 105°C (103-108°C), and then the solution was heated for 1 hour while maintaining this temperature, causing the silver oxalate-amine complex to thermally decompose, resulting in a suspension of dark blue surface-modified silver nanoparticles suspended in the amine mixture.

[0214] Cleaning process After cooling, 200 g of methanol was added to the resulting suspension and stirred. The surface-modified silver nanoparticles were then precipitated by centrifugation, the supernatant was removed, and 60 g of methanol was added again and stirred. The surface-modified silver nanoparticles were then precipitated by centrifugation, and the supernatant was removed. In this way, wet surface-modified silver nanoparticles were obtained.

[0215] Production Example 4 (Preparation of silver ink for inkjet printing) The surface-modified silver nanoparticles obtained in Production Example 3 were mixed with a dispersion medium to obtain a black-brown silver ink for inkjet printing.

[0216] Example 1 (Inkjet printing) An inkjet printer was filled with the silver ink for inkjet printing obtained in Production Example 4, and wiring was printed on one side of the disk-shaped optical member obtained in Production Example 1, surrounding the periphery of each diffractive optical element arranged in a 9 × 9 grid (2.5 mm long × 2.5 mm wide) grid. The optical member with the printed wiring was sintered using a hot plate, yielding an optical member in which wiring was arranged in an array with a thickness of approximately 1 μm and a width of approximately 50 μm. The resulting optical element with the wirings arranged in an array was diced into individual optical elements each having a wiring, using a dicing device (DAD3350, manufactured by DICSO) equipped with a 0.1 μm thick dicing blade (manufactured by DICSO).

[0217] Example 2 (Inkjet printing) An inkjet printer was filled with the silver ink for inkjet printing obtained in Production Example 4, and wiring was printed on the glass substrate surface of the disk-shaped optical member obtained in Production Example 2, surrounding the periphery of each diffractive optical element arranged in a 9 × 9 array of sections (2.5 mm long × 2.5 mm wide).The optical member with the printed wiring was sintered using a hot plate, yielding an optical member in which wiring was arranged in an array with a thickness of approximately 1 μm and a width of approximately 50 μm. The resulting optical element with the wirings arranged in an array was diced into individual optical elements each having a wiring, using a dicing device (DAD3350, manufactured by DICSO) equipped with a 0.1 μm thick dicing blade (manufactured by DICSO).

[0218] Example 3 (Screen Printing) Using a screen printing device (LS-150TV, manufactured by Newlong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.) at 25°C, silver paste ink (product name: NP-2910D1) manufactured by Noritake Limited was used to print wiring on the glass surface of the disk-shaped optical member obtained in Production Example 2, surrounding the periphery of each diffractive optical element arranged in a 9 × 9 section (2.5 mm long × 2.5 mm wide). The optical member with the printed wiring was sintered using a hot plate, yielding an optical member in which wiring was arranged in an array with a thickness of approximately 1 μm and a width of approximately 50 μm. The resulting optical element with the wirings arranged in an array was diced into individual optical elements each having a wiring, using a dicing device (DAD3350, manufactured by DICSO) equipped with a 0.1 μm thick dicing blade (manufactured by DICSO).

[0219] Example 4 (Screen Printing) Using a screen printing device (LS-150TV, manufactured by Newlong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.) at 25°C, silver paste ink (product name: NP-2910D1) manufactured by Noritake Limited was used to print wiring on one side of the disk-shaped optical member obtained in Production Example 1, surrounding the periphery of each diffractive optical element arranged in a 9 × 9 array of sections (2.5 mm long × 2.5 mm wide). The optical member with the printed wiring was sintered using a hot plate, yielding an optical member in which wiring was arranged in an array with a thickness of approximately 1 μm and a width of approximately 50 μm. The resulting optical element with the wirings arranged in an array was diced into individual optical elements each having a wiring, using a dicing device (DAD3350, manufactured by DICSO) equipped with a 0.1 μm thick dicing blade (manufactured by DICSO).

[0220] Evaluation test (reflow heat resistance test) A tester was connected to both ends of the wiring of the singulated optical element obtained in Example 1 to confirm that electricity was flowing. The resistance value was 4.4 Ω. The optical element was then placed in a simple reflow furnace (manufactured by Synapec Corporation) and subjected to a heat resistance test based on the reflow temperature profile (maximum temperature 260°C) specified in the JEDEC standard three times in succession, and electricity was confirmed to be flowing through the wiring of the optical element after heat treatment in the reflow furnace. The resistance value was 2.0 Ω. As a result, it was confirmed that no damage such as cracks occurred in the optical element of Example 1 even after heat treatment in the reflow furnace. [Explanation of symbols]

[0221] 10, 20 Optical components 11 Optical element area 12 Non-optical element area 13 Wiring containing conductive materials 14. Current detection mechanism connection part 30, 40 laser modules 31 PCB 32 spacer 33 Surface-emitting laser light source 34 Laser light emitted from a surface-emitting laser light source 35 Laser light emitted from the laser module 41 Current detection mechanism 42 electrodes 43 Optical component holder

Claims

1. An optical member for use in a laser module having a surface-emitting laser light source, An optical member having wiring containing a conductive material.

2. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises a metal.

3. The optical member according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive material comprises silver.

4. 4. The optical member according to claim 1, comprising at least one optical element selected from the group consisting of a diffractive optical element and a microlens array.

5. 5. The optical member according to claim 1, wherein the optical member is a plastic or a laminate of plastic and inorganic glass.

6. 6. The optical member according to claim 5, wherein the plastic is a cured product of a curable epoxy resin composition.

7. A laser module comprising the optical member according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and a surface-emitting laser light source.

8. 8. The laser module according to claim 7, further comprising a current detection mechanism for detecting a current state of wiring containing a conductive material in the optical member.

9. A laser device comprising a laser module according to claim 7 or 8.

10. A method for producing an optical member according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising: The method for manufacturing the optical member, characterized in that it comprises a step of applying ink containing a conductive substance to the optical member by a printing method to form wiring.

11. The method for manufacturing an optical member according to claim 10 , wherein the printing method includes inkjet printing or screen printing.

12. The method for producing an optical member according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the optical member is an optical element array in which two or more optical elements are two-dimensionally arranged.

13. The method for manufacturing an optical member according to claim 12 , further comprising the step of dividing the optical element array into two or more individual optical elements by dicing.

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