Ink-Jet Printed Micro Optical Articles Using Hybrid Polymers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing micro optical articles, such as micro lenses, using ink-jet printing face challenges including high fabrication costs, material waste, and instability in droplet generation, with existing solutions relying on monomers that require polymerization and not fully exploiting the optical and mechanical properties of the final material.
Innovation Solution
A process using an ink-jet suitable composition comprising organic-inorganic hybridpolymers or epoxy resins with photo initiators and reactive diluents, allowing for stable droplet generation and curing to produce micro optical articles with adjustable optical, thermal, and mechanical properties, suitable for various substrates, including flexible ones, and enabling cost-effective and time-efficient production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If monomers are used as dispensing solution for ink-jet printing, then the material can be polymerized to form micro optical articles, but the droplet generation becomes unstable and material waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the dispensing solution from monomer to pre-formed polymer. This parameter change eliminates the polymerization step that causes droplet generation instability and material waste, while still achieving the desired micro optical article formation through controlled deposition of polymer solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the polymerization action in advance, before the ink-jet printing process. By using pre-formed polymers as the dispensing solution, the material is already in its final structural state, eliminating the need for post-deposition polymerization and the associated instability and waste issues.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple method steps are used to manufacture micro optical articles, then the fabrication quality can be maintained, but the fabrication cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple fabrication steps into a single ink-jet printing process. By depositing pre-formed polymer solutions directly into the desired micro optical patterns, the patent combines material deposition, shaping, and pattern formation into one step, eliminating the need for separate photolithography, etching, and molding steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the complex multi-step fabrication process, retaining only the essential deposition step. By using pre-formed polymers, the patent eliminates the need for photoresist application, UV exposure, development, and other intermediate steps, keeping only the direct printing operation.
3Productivity
If ink-jet printing is used to manufacture micro optical articles, then material waste is minimized and production efficiency is improved, but the droplet generation stability becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the rheological and chemical parameters of the dispensing solution by using pre-formed polymers instead of monomers. This parameter change results in solutions with more stable flow characteristics and viscosity, which are easier to control during ink-jet printing, thereby improving droplet generation stability while maintaining production efficiency.
4Adaptability or versatility
If monomers requiring polymerization are used, then the material properties can be adjusted after deposition, but the fabrication process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs material property adjustment in advance by selecting pre-formed polymers with the desired properties. Instead of adjusting properties after deposition through polymerization, the patent chooses polymers that already possess the required optical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics, eliminating the time-consuming post-deposition processing steps.
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
The process achieves stable and reproducible droplet generation, reduces material waste, and allows for tunable optical and mechanical properties, enabling efficient production of micro optical articles with desired refractive indexes, brittleness, and transparency, suitable for optical and opto-electronic applications.
Implementation Method 1
curing the one or more separate droplets of step b) to form the one or more micro optical articles
Data Source
Figure 1a~1d
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
This invention relates to a process for production of a micro optical article using an ink-jet printer, a micro optical article obtainable by the inventive process, a composition suitable to produce the inventive micro optical articles, a use of the inventive composition in the manufacture of a micro optical article using an ink-jet printer and a use of the inventive micro optical article in optics, opto-electronics or as a molding structure according to the independents claims, respectively. The composition consists of i) an organic-inorganic hybrid polymer and a polymerisation starter together with an inert solvent and/or a reactive diluent, or ii) an epoxy resin, a polymerisation starter and an inert solvent together with a reactive diluent and/or one or more nanoparticles.