Optical element molding mold set and optical element manufacturing method

An optical element manufacturing method comprising:

• forming an optical element by heating, pressing, and cooling down a molding material in an optical element molding mold set to form an optical element, the optical element molding mold set including a first mold and a second mold opposite to each other along a first direction so as to sandwich the molding material, and a third mold that is located on an outer periphery of a cavity between the first mold and the second mold;
• wherein the forming the optical element comprises:
• pressurizing the molding material in the cavity between the first and second molds;
• and
• molding an entire outer peripheral surface of the optical element using the third mold, the third mold including an inner peripheral surface that includes a molding surface, and the molding surface being positioned to mold the entire outer peripheral surface of the optical element,
• wherein the molding surface has a first side and a second side along the first direction, and the first side and the second side of the molding surface have different friction coefficients such that the molding material, which has been pressurized in the cavity, flows at different speeds toward a first end and a second end of an outer periphery of the cavity in the first direction.