Ultra-Thin Optical Elements With 3D-Printed Support Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing production methods for ultra-thin optical elements, such as THz filters and polarizers, are complex, costly, and lack a robust supporting frame, making them prone to damage and difficult to handle.
Innovation Solution
A simplified production method involving lithography for structuring a metallic functional layer, sandwiching it between transparent polymer layers, and integrating a 3D-printed mounting frame for enhanced mechanical stability, all done on a single carrier without transfer or wafer bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If unprotected freestanding metal foils are used to create ultra-thin optical elements, then the elements achieve thinness and optical functionality, but they become extremely difficult to handle and are not damage tolerant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines thin metal foils (aluminum, gold, or silver) with transparent protective layers (polymer or glass) to create a composite structure. The metal layer provides optical functionality while the protective layers provide mechanical strength and handleability, resolving the contradiction between thinness and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses thin polymer or glass layers as protective shells that enclose the fragile metal foil. These thin film protective layers maintain the overall thinness of the optical element while providing the mechanical protection needed for easy handling and damage tolerance.
2Ease of operation
If protective layers and stabilizing frames are added to ultra-thin optical elements, then handleability and damage tolerance improve, but the production becomes complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective layer application with the metal foil lamination process itself. By using the metal foil as both the functional layer and the adhesive bonding layer, the protective layers are applied directly during the same lamination steps used to assemble the optical element, eliminating separate protective coating processes and reducing overall production complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal foil serves a dual function: as the optical functional layer and as the adhesive bonding layer that bonds the protective layers to the structure. This self-service approach eliminates the need for separate adhesive application steps, simplifying the production process while maintaining handleability.
3Reliability
If multiple lamination steps are used to apply protective layers, then protection is achieved, but the production process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple protective layer applications into a single lamination process sequence. The first and second protective layers are applied in successive lamination steps using the metal foil as the bonding medium, allowing both layers to be integrated into the same production line operation, thereby maintaining reliability while improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The metal foil is prepared in advance with appropriate adhesive properties to enable direct bonding of protective layers. This preliminary preparation of the metal foil as a bonding layer allows subsequent protective layers to be applied efficiently without requiring additional adhesive application steps, speeding up production while ensuring reliable protection.
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
Results in a compact, robust, and easily handleable ultra-thin optical elements suitable for beam manipulation across visible, infrared, and THz ranges, with applications in imaging, spectroscopy, and non-destructive evaluation in various industries.
Implementation Method 1
The invention makes use of at least one thin film process, where the metallic functional layer is shaped into a metamaterial by lithography
Implementation Method 2
protected by sandwiching it between two polymeric layers that are transparent to radiation from UV to THz
Implementation Method 3
a mounting frame, 3D-printed at least partly around the optical element further enhances its mechanical stability
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed invention presents a production method of an optical setup. comprising at least one mechanically robust freestanding ultra-thin optical element with a supporting frame, using at least one thin film technique step. which is cost-effective and highly reproducible. This is reached by A) coating of a separation layer and a subsequent substrate on a carrier. B) coating of a photoresist layer on the substrate/separation layer/carrier system, before C) the photoresist layer is structured and coated with a metal layer to obtain the designed metamaterial. before D) a protective layer is spin-coated onto the metal layer/substrate/separation/carrier-system, forming at least one ultra-thin optical element and directly afterwards. E) a supporting frame is applied using 3D printing of a thermoplastic onto the carrier, and protective layer to later individuate the optical elements. F) fixed ultra-thin optical elements are removed from the carrier by dissolving the separation layer.