Dot Modulation Pattern Fabrication for Smooth 3D Resin Structures
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing smooth curved surfaces, such as blazed gratings or microlenses, require repetitive exposure, development, and etching processes, leading to increased production costs and the need for high-resolution writers, which is inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A fabrication method involving a dot modulation pattern forming process, a writing process using a writer with energy supplied to the photosensitive resin layer by an area larger than the minimum dot area, and a developing process to create a resin layer with a smooth three-dimensional structure, reducing the number of processes needed and eliminating the requirement for high-resolution writers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If multistep etching is used to approximate a curved surface, then the surface smoothness is improved, but the production cost increases and the number of processes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the writing energy parameters by supplying energy by an area larger than the minimum dot area in the dot modulation pattern. This parameter change allows the formation of smooth curved surfaces through a single exposure process rather than multiple etching steps, thereby improving surface smoothness while reducing production cost and process complexity.
2Shape
If the number of etching steps is increased to approximate a curved surface, then the surface smoothness is improved, but the production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple exposure, development, and etching operations into a single exposure process using dot modulation patterns with enlarged writing energy areas. This consolidation achieves the same surface smoothness that previously required multiple sequential steps, thereby significantly reducing production time while maintaining the desired surface quality.
3Shape
If the number of etching steps is increased to approximate a curved surface, then the surface smoothness is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the writing energy supply parameters to use areas larger than the minimum dot area in the dot modulation pattern. This parameter modification enables the formation of smooth curved surfaces through a simplified single-step process, reducing device and process complexity while achieving the required surface smoothness.
4Shape
If high-resolution writers are used to create fine steps, then the surface smoothness is improved, but the equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dot modulation patterns with enlarged writing energy areas that can be implemented using standard-resolution writers rather than expensive high-resolution equipment. This approach uses a different methodology (dot modulation with energy overlap) that achieves smooth surfaces without requiring costly high-resolution writers, thereby reducing equipment investment while maintaining surface quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the production of pattern-formed structures with smooth three-dimensional structures in fewer processes, lowering production costs and eliminating the need for high-resolution writers, while achieving a smooth curved surface in a single operation of writing, development, and etching.
Implementation Method 1
a writing process of using the dot modulation pattern to write directly by a writer on a photosensitive resin layer formed on a substrate
Data Source
AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a fabrication method for pattern-formed structure having a smooth three-dimensional structure through a fewer processes. To achieve the object, the present invention provides a fabrication method for pattern-formed structure comprising: a dot modulation pattern forming process of binarizing a shape of a targeted three-dimensional structure to form a dot modulation pattern, a writing process of using the dot modulation pattern to write directly by a writer on a photosensitive resin layer formed on a substrate, and a developing process of developing the photosensitive resin layer after the writing to form a resin layer with three-dimensional structure, wherein the writing process is performed by a writing energy supplying method in which writing energy is supplied to the photosensitive resin layer by an area larger than a minimum dot area in the dot modulation pattern.