Method for deriving a surface profile of a free-form master lens for patterning photo-alignment layers of planar optical components

A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps when the program is run on a computer:

• defining a desired optical function of a planar optical component;
• determining a surface profile of a free-form test lens configured to provide the desired optical function;
• receiving a distance between the free-form test lens and the planar optical component and receiving a wavelength of a recording light beam;
• determining an actual optical function of the planar optical component;
• determining a deviation between the desired optical function and the actual optical function by comparing phase differences corresponding to the desired optical function and phase differences corresponding to the actual optical function;
• determining a corrected surface profile of the free-form test lens by means of the determined deviation, thereby deriving a surface profile for a free-form master lens.

A computer readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following steps when the program is run on a computer:

• obtaining a desired optical function of a planar optical component;
• obtaining an actual optical function of the planar optical component, the actual optical function being described as recorded using a free-form test lens with a surface profile configured to provide the desired optical function;
• estimating a deviation between the desired optical function and the actual optical function;
• correcting a surface profile of the free-form test lens by means of the estimated deviation, thereby deriving a surface profile for a free-form master lens.