Microlens Edge Contour Correction via Surface Tension Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microlenses produced by glass flow processes or thermoplastic contactless hot stamping exhibit extremely steep elliptical gradients at the edge region, leading to undesirable imaging errors when used for optical imaging.
Innovation Solution
A follow-up treatment method involving a template-like counter tool with thermal expansion properties matching the lens material, applied along the circumferential line of the microlens, heats the lens above its transformation temperature to allow surface tension-driven material flow, reducing or eliminating the steep elliptical gradients, and adjusting temperature, pressure, and time to achieve desired edge geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If microlenses are produced by glass flow process, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but extremely steep elliptical gradients occur at the edge region causing imaging errors
Solution Approach 1:
A template-like counter tool is applied to the microlens array before the glass flow process. This counter tool has a contour that matches the desired final lens shape, preventing the formation of steep elliptical gradients at the edge regions during the glass flow process itself, rather than correcting them afterward.
Solution Approach 2:
The template-like counter tool acts as an intermediary between the glass flow process and the final lens shape. It mediates the glass flow by providing a physical boundary that guides the material flow, ensuring the edge regions achieve the desired spherical, parabolic, or hyperbolic contours while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If follow-up treatment is applied to remove steep elliptical gradients, then optical imaging properties are improved, but additional process steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The template-like counter tool is applied in advance before the glass flow process to prevent the formation of defective edge contours. This preliminary action integrates the contour correction into the original manufacturing process, avoiding the need for separate follow-up treatment steps and reducing overall process complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The contour control function is merged with the original glass flow manufacturing process by using the template-like counter tool during the same heating and flowing cycle. This combines shape control and manufacturing into a single integrated process step, eliminating the need for additional correction processes.
3Manufacturing precision
If template-like counter tool is applied along circumferential line, then edge region contour is controlled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The template-like counter tool is created as a simple copy or replica of the desired final lens contour. This copying approach allows complex contour control to be achieved using a relatively simple tool structure that merely replicates the target shape, minimizing the increase in device complexity while maximizing contour control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The template-like counter tool only interacts with the edge regions of the microlenses where contour control is needed, rather than affecting the entire lens structure. This localized approach allows precise edge region control while keeping the overall device structure simple and focused only on where it is needed.
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 effectively reduces or eliminates the steep elliptical gradients, improving optical imaging properties by allowing the edge regions to assume spherical, parabolic, or hyperbolic contours, applicable to already produced lenses without complex or expensive processes.
Implementation Method 1
heating the lens to a temperature of at least the transformation temperature of the glass or the glass-type material, thereby softening the lens material which is locally displaced due to the surface tension prevailing in longitudinal direction of the lens surface
Implementation Method 2
heating the lens to a temperature of at least the transformation temperature of the glass or the glass-type material, thereby softening the lens material
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a device are disclosed for follow-up treatment of the contour of the surface of at least one optical lens, in particular a microlens which is made of glass or a glass-type material and which has a convex lens surface delimited by a circumferential line abutting on a plane section surrounding the circumferential line and which has a lens underside facing the convex lens surface. Along the circumferential line of the optical lens on the plane section is placed a device perfectly matching the circumferential line and at least laterally bordering the convex lens surface, the optical lens is heated to a temperature of at least the transformation temperature of glass or glass-type material, pressure equalization prevails between the convex lens surface and the lens underside, after a certain period of time, during which the optical lens undergoes the temperature treatment and subsequent cooling below the transformation temperature, the device is removed from the optical lens.