Molding Optical Gratings with Zero Relative Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing optical components with surface gratings face challenges in achieving precise alignment of gratings, which can lead to unwanted distortion in light guide-based display systems due to misalignment, affecting image quality.
Innovation Solution
A moulding process and apparatus that utilize a drive mechanism, light sensor, and controller to align surface gratings on opposing portions of a polymer optical component to a relative orientation angle of zero, ensuring precise alignment by maximizing the fringe spacing of a fringe pattern observable during the polymer's setting process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional moulding methods are used to manufacture optical components with surface gratings, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but grating alignment precision deteriorates leading to distortion in light guide-based display systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the moulding component with adjustable surfaces that can be positioned before polymer injection. The moulding component includes at least two adjustable surfaces that can be independently positioned and oriented, allowing the gratings to be pre-aligned to a relative orientation angle of zero before the polymer is injected and sets. This preliminary alignment configuration ensures precise grating alignment is achieved without requiring complex post-processing adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the moulding component configurable and adjustable during the manufacturing process. The moulding component includes adjustable surfaces that can be dynamically repositioned and reoriented during moulding to achieve the desired grating alignment. This dynamic adjustability allows the system to adapt and optimize alignment precision while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.
2Manufacturing precision
If grating alignment is not precisely controlled during manufacturing, then manufacturing process simplicity is maintained, but image quality deteriorates due to distortion in light guide-based display systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the moulding component with adjustable surfaces that can be positioned before polymer injection. The moulding component includes at least two adjustable surfaces that can be independently positioned and oriented, allowing the gratings to be pre-aligned to a relative orientation angle of zero before the polymer is injected and sets. This preliminary alignment configuration ensures precise grating alignment is achieved without requiring complex post-processing adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the moulding component configurable and adjustable during the manufacturing process. The moulding component includes adjustable surfaces that can be dynamically repositioned and reoriented during moulding to achieve the desired grating alignment. This dynamic adjustability allows the system to adapt and optimize alignment precision while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional fixed moulding components are used, then device complexity is minimized, but manufacturing precision of grating alignment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the moulding component with adjustable surfaces that can be positioned before polymer injection. The moulding component includes at least two adjustable surfaces that can be independently positioned and oriented, allowing the gratings to be pre-aligned to a relative orientation angle of zero before the polymer is injected and sets. This preliminary alignment configuration ensures precise grating alignment is achieved without requiring complex post-processing adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the moulding component configurable and adjustable during the manufacturing process. The moulding component includes adjustable surfaces that can be dynamically repositioned and reoriented during moulding to achieve the desired grating alignment. This dynamic adjustability allows the system to adapt and optimize alignment precision while maintaining manufacturing flexibility.
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 solution ensures optical components with gratings aligned to within one thousandth of a degree, minimizing distortion and enhancing image quality in light guide-based display systems.
Implementation Method 1
an observable fringe pattern is formed as the relative orientation angle of the gratings is changed towards zero
Implementation Method 2
When propagating light encounters the periodic structure, diffraction causes the light to be split into multiple beams in different directions
Data Source
AI summary
A substantially transparent optical component, which comprises polymer, is molded. The optical component has substantially matching grating imprints on respective portions of its surface, which imprints have a substantially zero relative orientation angle. Substantially transparent molten polymer is forced between two surfaces of a molding component. The molten polymer is forced into contact with surface modulations which form two substantially matching gratings. An alignment portion is located so that light which has interacted with both gratings is observable when the substantially transparent polymer is between the surfaces. While the polymer is still liquid, the molding component is reconfigured from a current configuration to a new configuration in which the fringe spacing of a fringe pattern formed by the two gratings is substantially maximal, thus aligning the gratings to have a substantially zero relative orientation angle. The new configuration is maintained while the polymer sets.