# US 11,029,529 B2 · Subwavelength structured lens having moire pattern, use and methods of making the same

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- Number: US 11,029,529 B2
- Document ID: US11029529B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/579,166
- Filed: 2016-06-06
- Published: 2018-06-07
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-04
- Applicants: Stephen Y. Chou; Fei Ding; Wei Ding
- Inventors: Stephen Y. Chou; Fei Ding; Wei Ding
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029529B2

## CPC

- G02B 27/60: Systems using moiré fringes
- G02B 3/0087: {with index gradient}
- G02B 5/1809: {with pitch less than or comparable to the wavelength}
- G02B 5/1857: {using exposure or etching means, e.g. holography, photolithography, exposure to electron or ion beams}
- G02B 5/1861: {Reflection gratings characterised by their structure, e.g. step profile, contours of substrate or grooves, pitch variations, materials (G02B5/1809, G02B5/1828, G02B5/1833, G02B5/1838 and G02B5/1847 take precedence)}
- G02B 19/0014: {at least one surface having optical power}
- G02B 19/0061: {the light source comprising a LED}
- G02B 27/4205: {having a diffractive optical element [DOE] contributing to image formation, e.g. whereby modulation transfer function MTF or optical aberrations are relevant}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

The present inventions is related to the optical lenses that use subwavelength structures to perform an optical function, the applications of such lenses, and the methods of making the same. Particularly, the present invention provide an optical lens(es), termed “subwavelength Moiré index lens” or “SMIL” for manipulating light. The SMIL comprises a thin material layer having an effective optical index that has a Moiré pattern of two or more periodic structures. The SMIL allows a lens to be ultrathin, flat, numerical aperture nearly one, scalable to large area, and manufacturable at low cost. The present invention also provides the systems based on SMIL, such lens systems, LEDs and photodetectors, and the fabrication methods of the SMIL.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical device for manipulating light comprising:
a thin material layer that has an effective optical index which has a Moiré pattern of two or more periodic structures;
wherein the effective optical index at the lateral location of the material layer is an integral of the optical index of the material over the thickness of the material layer at the location;
wherein the Moiré pattern is the pattern formed by superimposing the periodic structures;
wherein at least one of the periodic structures has a period less than the wavelength of the light;
wherein the material layer manipulates an optical property of the light that goes through the material layer,
wherein the material layer manipulates light as a single lens or an array of lenses in the material layer, and
wherein the material layer has a constant surface topology, but an optical index in the material layer that has a Moiré pattern.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the material layer has a constant optical index through the material, but a surface topology that has a Moiré pattern.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein both surface topology and the optical index of the material layer have a Moiré pattern.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein all of the periodic structures have a period that is subwavelength.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the manipulation of an optical property of the light comprises bending, focusing, defocusing, or splitting the light.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the manipulation of an optical property of the light further comprises a change of the phase or polarizations of the incident optical beam.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the effective optical index of the device functions as a convex lens or concave lens.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein two of the periodic structures have the same period, but different orientations, different positions, or different orientations and different positions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein two of the periodic structures have different periods and have (a) same orientation or (b) different orientations.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the shape of the patterns in a periodic structure is lines, disks, squares, triangles, rectangle, polygons, rings, or a combination of thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the shape of the patterns in a periodic structure is holes, pillars, trenches, or a combination of thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the material layer manipulates light as an array of lenses in the material layer.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The device of claim 12, wherein the array of lenses is a periodic array of lenses.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the periodic structures comprise the periodic variation of optical refractive index in one dimension of a plane.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the periodic structures comprise the periodic variation of optical refractive index in two dimensions of a plane.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the periodic structures comprise the periodic variation of optical refractive index in three dimensions of a space.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the periodic structure is a grating of optical refraction index variation in one dimension.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the periodic structure is a grid of optical refraction index variations in two dimensions.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the period of the periodic structures is in a range from 20 nm to 30,000 nm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the period of the periodic structures is in a range of 20 to 100 nm, 100 to 400 nm, 400 to 800 nm, 800 to 1600 nm, or 1600 to 30,000 nm.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the wavelength of the light is in a range from 20 nm to 30,000 nm.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the wavelength of the light is in a range from 20 to 100 nm, 100 to 400 nm, 400 to 800 nm, 800 to 1600 nm, or 1600 to 30,000 nm.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the materials are dielectric, metallic, or a combination of the two.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein said materials comprise a single or multiple layers of the materials selected from dielectric materials, plastics, hard dielectrics.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the materials are in the form of crystal, polycrystalline, amorphous, hetero-mixture, liquid, gas or a combination of one or more thereof.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the materials are mixed with other molecules such as dyes, quantum dots, and other light emitters.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the materials are inorganic dielectric materials including, but not limited to, silicon dioxide, porous silicon dioxide, fused silica, pyrex, glass, fused quartz, rubber, diamond, titanium dioxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, silicone hydrogel, water vapor, liquid water, air, nitrogen gas, argon or a mixture thereof.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the materials are inorganic semiconductor materials selected from group IV, III-V, II-VI elements or organic materials including, but not limited to, silicon, graphite, diamond, germanium, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride and or a mixture thereof.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the materials are inorganic conductive materials, including, but not limited to, gold, silver, aluminum, copper, titanium, tin, indium, ITO (indium tin oxide), and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 30 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the materials are organic materials containing polymers or small molecules, including, but not limited to polymethymethacrylate (PMMA), hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), polycarbonate, polyetheretherketone, polypropylene, polyamide, preferably polyamide 6 or polyamide 66, polyphenylensulfide, polyurethane, trivex, conductive polymers as poly(1,4-phenylene vinylene) (PPV)(as MEH-PPV, MDMO-PPV, BCHPPV), poly(1,4-phenyIene) (PPP), polyfluorenes (PFO) (as poly(9(9-dioctylfluorene)), poly(thiophenes) (as regiorandom poly(3-octylthiophene)), nitrogen-containing polymers (as 1,3,4-Oxadiazole), water-soluble LEPs (as sulfonated PPV) dyes (as phosphorescent dyes), tetracene and pentacenefullerene derivatives (as [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)), or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the materials layer is placed on a substrate that is made of materials that are the same or different from the material layer.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein another material is deposited on a surface of the materials layer.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

An optical system for manipulating light comprising a plurality of optical devices, wherein at least one of the optical devices is a subwavelength Moiré index lens (SMIL) according to claim 1.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the system comprises a LED (light emitting diode).

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the system comprises a LED (light emitting diode); and the SMIL manipulate the light emitted and into the LED and/or the light enters the LED.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the system comprises a photodetector; and the SMIL manipulates the light entering the photodetector.

### Claim 37 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the system comprises at least one optical lens that is not SMIL.

### Claim 38 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the system comprises multiple SMIL.

### Claim 39 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the system manipulation of an optical property of the light comprises bending, focusing, defocusing, or splitting the light.

### Claim 40 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33, wherein the system manipulation of an optical property of the light comprises a change of the phase or polarizations of the incident optical beam.

### Claim 41

A method of forming an optical device that manipulates light comprising
providing a thin material layer, wherein the effective optical index of the material layer is a Moiré pattern of two or more periodic structures;
wherein the effective optical index at the lateral location of the material layer is an integral of the optical index of the material over the thickness of the material layer at the location;
wherein the Moiré pattern is the pattern formed by superimposing periodic structures:
wherein at least one of the periodic structures has a period less than the wavelength of the light;
wherein the material layer manipulates an optical property of the light that goes through the material layer; and
wherein the material layer manipulates light as a single lens.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The method of claim 41, wherein the Moiré pattern of the effective optical index is created by modifying surface topology of the material layer.

### Claim 43 (depends on 41)

The method of claim 41, wherein the Moiré pattern of the effective optical index is created by modifying the local optical index of the material layer.

### Claim 44 (depends on 41)

The method of claim 41, wherein the Moiré pattern of the effective optical index is created by modifying both surface topology and optical index of the material layer.

### Claim 45 (depends on 41)

The method of claim 41, further comprising superimposing two or more periodic patterns on the material layer.

### Claim 46 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein the superimposing of two or more periodic patterns comprises a modification of surface topology of the material layer.

### Claim 47 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein the superimposing of two or more periodic patterns comprises a modification of an optical index in the material layer.

### Claim 48 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein the superimposing of two or more periodic patterns comprises a modification of both surface topology and the optical index of the material layer.

### Claim 49 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein the material layer is modified by lithography.

### Claim 50 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein the material layer is modified by nanoimprint or embossing.

### Claim 51 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein the material layer is modified by etching.

### Claim 52 (depends on 45)

The method of claim 45, wherein the material layer is modified by material deposition.