Microlens, its forming method and optical module
AssigneeOki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
InventorsYoshinori Maeno, Takeshi Takamori, Hironori Sasaki, Masahiro Uekawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming many microlenses comparatively easily and effectively is provided. On one end of an optical substrate is formed a plurality of lens planes at regular intervals. Lens areas containing the lens planes are partially covered by an etching mask and etching processing is performed on areas being exposed outside the etching mask to remove the areas to a specified depth. While the lens planes formed on one surface of the optical substrate are being held by a support substrate, polishing processing is performed on another end face of the optical substrate and each microlens formed in the lens areas is separated from the support substrate.
Claims19
A method of forming a plurality of microlenses, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of lens planes on one surface of an optical substrate;
- forming a plurality of mask portions respectively covering each of said lens planes;
- forming lens element portions which has said lens plane and becomes said microlens respectively under each of said mask portions by an etching process conducted on said optical substrate;
- removing all said mask portions;
- holding said lens element portions by a holding means from the side said one surface of said optical substrate is located;
- removing a remainder of said optical substrate excluding said lens element portions for leaving said lens element portions by a removing process;
- eliminating said holding means from all said lens element portion by a eliminating process.
A method of forming a plurality of microlenses, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of lens planes on one surface of an optical substrate;
- forming a plurality of mask portions respectively on each of said lens planes;
- forming lens element portions which has said lens plane and becomes said microlens respectively under each of said mask portions by an etching process conducted on said optical substrate;
- forming a mold by using said optical substrate as an original substrate obtained after all said mask potions are removed for reproducing said optical substrate
- forming replica substrates by using said mold;
- holding all lens element portions of said replica substrate by a holding means from the side one surface of said replica substrate is located;
- removing a remainder of said replica substrate excluding said lens element portions for leaving said lens element portions by a removing process;
- eliminating said holding means from all said lens element portions by a eliminating process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.