Method of manufacturing lens array

A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween;
• heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate;
• forming a second array of second lens-base elements with a material different from that of the first lens-base elements in a region on the one side of the substrate where the first lenses are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lenses;
• and
• heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses substantially adjacent to the first lenses on the one side of the substrate.

A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween;
• heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses in a lens array on the one side of the substrate;
• making a replica of the lens array having the first lenses;
• forming a second array of second lens-base elements on the replica in a region on one side of the replica where first lens portions of the replica are not formed so as to partly overlap with the first lens portions of the replica;
• and
• heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-elements melt to form second lenses substantially adjacent to the first lens portions on the one side of the replica.

A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of:

• forming an array of lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween;
• heating the lens-base elements so that the lens-base elements melt to form lenses on the one side of the substrate;
• and
• repeating the steps of forming and heating the lens-base elements a second time such that additional lens-base elements and additional lenses are formed on the one side of the substrate in a region where the lenses are not formed so as to be substantially adjacent to and to partly overlap with the lenses formed on the one side of the substrate.

A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween;
• heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate;
• forming a second array of second lens-base elements in a place on the one side of the substrate lacking the first lenses so as to partly overlap with the first lenses;
• heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses on the one side of the substrate;
• and
• repeating the steps of forming and heating the second lens-base elements, if necessary.

A lens array manufactured by the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a first array of first lens-base elements on one side of a substrate with spacing therebetween;
• heating the first lens-base elements so that the first lens-base elements melt to form first lenses on the one side of the substrate;
• forming a second array of second lens-base elements in a place on the one side of the substrate lacking the first lenses so as to partly overlap with the first lenses;
• heating the second lens-base elements so that the second lens-base elements melt to form second lenses on the one side of the substrate;
• repeating the steps of forming and heating the second lens-base elements, if necessary, thereby making a first lens array on the one side of the substrate;
• accumulating a stamper material on said first lens array serving as a master plate to form a stamper;
• peeling the stamper from the master plate;
• filling the stamper with a molten resin;
• solidifying the resin in the stamper;
• and
• removing the stamper to obtain a second lens array made of the resin.

A lens array comprising:

• a substrate;
• a first array of first lenses arranged on one side of said substrate with spacing portions therebetween on the one side of said substrate;
• and
• a second array of second lenses disposed on the spacing portions of the one side of said substrate between the first lenses, the second lenses partly overlapping with the adjacent first lenses on the one side of said substrate.