Microlens array sheet and method of producing the same

A microlens array sheet comprising:

• a transparent base having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
• a microlens array attached to the first surface of the transparent base, the array having a plurality of microlens;
• and
• a light-shielding layer, having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, provided on the second surface of the transparent base so that the third surface faces the second surface, the light-shielding layer having a plurality of apertures that correspond to the microlenses, each aperture having a conical trapezoid-like shape in which a size of each aperture on the third surface side is larger than another size of each aperture on the fourth surface side.

A method of producing a microlens array sheet comprising the steps of:

• preparing a light-shielding base having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
• attaching a microlens array having a plurality of microlens on the first surface of the light-shielding base so that a focal point of each microlens is located in the vicinity of the second surface of the light-shielding base, thus producing a microlens array base structure;
• and
• emitting a laser beam to the microlens array base structure so that the beam is focused onto the focal point of each microlens in a direction orthogonal to the light-shielding base, thus removing a part of the light-shielding base to form an aperture that correspond to each microlens, the aperture having a conical trapezoid-like shape in which a size of the aperture on the first surface side is larger than another size of the aperture on the second surface side.

A method of producing a microlens array sheet comprising the steps of:

• preparing a transparent base having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface;
• attaching a microlens array having a plurality of microlens on the first surface of the transparent base;
• forming a light-shielding layer, having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, on the second surface of the transparent base so that the third surface faces the second surface;
• arranging the microlens so that a focal point of each microlens is located in the vicinity of the fourth surface of the light-shielding layer, thus producing a microlens array base structure;
• and
• emitting a laser beam to the microlens array base structure so that the beam is focused onto the focal point of each microlens in a direction orthogonal to the light-shielding layer, thus removing a part of the light-shielding layer to form an aperture that correspond to each microlens, the aperture having a conical trapezoid-like shape in which a size of the aperture on the third surface side is larger than another size of the aperture on the fourth surface side.