Structured light-transmitting articles and methods for making the same

A method for forming a light-transmitting article, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate comprising a first transparent material having a first glass transition temperature Tg1 and a first refractive index n1;
• depositing on the substrate a second material having a second glass transition temperature Tg2 and a second refractive index n2;
• forming a patterned surface on the second material;
• and
• depositing a third transparent material on the patterned surface, wherein the third material has a third glass transition temperature Tg3 and a third refractive index n1, and
• wherein n1, n2, and n3 have different values.

An article comprising:

• (a) a substrate comprising a first transparent material having a first glass transition temperature Tg1 and a first refractive index n1;
• (b) a first layer comprising a second transparent material having a second glass transition temperature Tg2 and a second refractive index n2;
• and
• (c) a second layer comprising a third transparent material having a third glass transition temperature Tg3 and a third refractive index n3,
• wherein an interface between the first and second layer is patterned, and
• wherein Tg1>Tg2>Tg3 and n3>n2≧n1.