Method of controlling optical element manufacturing apparatus, mehtod of manufacturing optical element, and optical element manufacturing apparatus

A method of manufacturing an optical element, comprising:

• heating an optical element material arranged in a cavity that is formed of a pair of upper and lower dies and that is for forming of the optical element, to a first temperature, and softening the optical element material;
• heating the optical element material to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and transferring at least a part of a forming surface of the lower die of the pair of upper and lower dies, the part including a top portion of the forming surface;
• and
• pressing the optical element material with the pair of upper and lower dies and transferring a forming surface.

An optical element manufacturing apparatus comprising:

• a pair of upper and lower dies;
• a heating unit configured to heat a cavity formed of the pair of upper and lower dies, the cavity being for forming of an optical element;
• a pressing unit configured to press the pair of upper and lower dies;
• a cooling unit configured to cool the cavity;
• and
• a control unit configured to
• cause the heating unit to heat the cavity where an optical element material has been accommodated, to a second temperature where the optical element material is deformed due to a weight of the optical element material, after heating the cavity to a first temperature where the optical element material softens and becomes formable by the pair of upper and lower dies, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature, and
• thereafter cause the pressing unit to press the pair of upper and lower dies for transfer of forming surfaces of the pair of upper and lower dies onto the optical element material in the cavity.