Method for Producing Wafer Lens, and Method and Apparatus for Producing Wafer Lens Laminate

A method for manufacturing a wafer lens in which lens portions made of energy curable resin are formed on a glass substrate, comprising the steps of:

• arranging the energy curable resin between the glass substrate and a molding die under a first atmosphere with a reduced-pressure, and pressing one of the glass substrate and the molding die to another one while suctioning one of the glass substrate and the molding die;
• changing the first atmosphere to a second atmosphere with a pressure higher than the reduced pressure of the first atmosphere on a condition that the glass substrate and the molding die are in contact with the energy curable resin by the step of pressing, and conducting alignment between the glass substrate and the molding die while suctioning one of the glass substrate and the molding die;
• and
• curing the energy curable resin by applying energy to the energy curable resin.

A method for manufacturing a wafer lens assembly in which a wafer lens in which lens portions made of energy curable resin are formed on a glass substrate is bonded with an adhesive made of energy curable resin to a spacer which holds a predetermined distance between the wafer lens and another wafer lens, the method comprising the steps of:

• arranging the energy curable resin between the wafer lens and the spacer under a first atmosphere with a reduced pressure, and pressing one of the wafer lens and the spacer to another one while suctioning at least one of the wafer lens and the spacer;
• changing the first atmosphere to a second atmosphere with a pressure higher than the reduced pressure of the first atmosphere on a condition that the wafer lens and the spacer are in contact with the adhesive by the step of pressing, and conducting alignment between the wafer lens and the spacer while suctioning at least one of the wafer lens and the spacer;
• and
• curing the energy curable resin by applying energy to the energy curable resin.

A method of manufacturing a wafer lens stacked body in which a wafer lens assembly which includes a wafer lens in which lens portions made of energy curable resin are formed on a glass substrate and a spacer which holds a predetermined distance between the wafer lens and another wafer lens is bonded and stacked with an adhesive made of energy curable resin on the another wafer lens via the spacer, the method comprising the steps of:

• arranging the energy curable resin between the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens under a first atmosphere with a reduced pressure, and pressing one of the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens to another one while suctioning at least one of the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens;
• changing the first atmosphere to a second atmosphere with a pressure higher than the reduced pressure of the first atmosphere on a condition that the spacer and the another wafer lens are in contact with the adhesive by the step of pressing, and conducting alignment between the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens while suctioning at least one of the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens;
• and
• curing the energy curable resin by applying energy to the energy curable resin.

A method for manufacturing a wafer lens stacked body in which first and second wafer lens assemblies each of which includes a wafer lens in which lens portions made of energy curable resin are formed on a glass substrate and a spacer which holds a predetermined distance between the wafer lens and another wafer lens are bonded and stacked with an adhesive made of energy curable resin onto each other via the spacer, the method comprising the steps of:

• arranging the energy curable resin between the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly under a first atmosphere with a reduced pressure, and pressing one of the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly to another one while suctioning at least one of the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly;
• changing the first atmosphere to a second atmosphere with a pressure higher than the reduced pressure of the first atmosphere on a condition that the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly are in contact with the adhesive by the step of pressing, and conducting alignment between the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly while suctioning at least one of the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly;
• and
• curing the energy curable resin by applying energy to the energy curable resin.

The wafer lens stacked body manufacturing apparatus described in 20, comprising:

• a pressing mechanism for moving one of the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens so as to press another one while suctioning at least one of the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens;
• an alignment mechanism for conducting alignment between the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens while suctioning at least one of the wafer lens assembly and the another wafer lens;
• a housing for accommodating the pressing mechanism and the alignment mechanism in an enclosed space;
• a pressure reducing mechanism for reducing a pressure in the enclosed space;
• and
• an energy provider for applying energy to the energy curable resin so as to cure the energy curable resin.

The wafer lens stacked body manufacturing apparatus described in 20, comprising:

• a pressing mechanism for moving one of the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly so as to press another one while suctioning at least one of the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly;
• an alignment mechanism for conducting alignment between the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly while suctioning at least one of the first wafer lens assembly and the second wafer lens assembly;
• a housing for accommodating the pressing mechanism and the alignment mechanism in an enclosed space;
• a pressure reducing mechanism for reducing a pressure in the enclosed space;
• and
• an energy provider for applying energy to the energy curable resin so as to cure the energy curable resin.