Mold for forming a microlens and method of fabricating the same
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakayuki Yagi, Yasuhiro Shimada, Takayuki Teshima, Takashi Ushijima
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mold for a microlens includes a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive, such as an electrically-conductive substrate or a substrate with an electrode layer, an insulating mask layer formed on the substrate and including an opening or plural openings, and a plated layer electroplated in the opening and on the mask layer. A first condition that a diameter or width (φ) of the opening has a relation of φ≦0.35R, wherein (R) is a radius of curvature of the plated layer right above the opening, or a second condition that the diameter or width (φ) of the opening is φ≦10 μm, is met.
Claims43
A mold for a microlens comprising:
- a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive;
- an insulating mask layer, said mask layer being formed on said substrate and including an opening;
- and
- a plated layer, said plated layer being electroplated in said opening and on said mask layer;
- wherein (R) is a radius of curvature of said plated layer directly above said opening and at least one of (a) and (b) is met;
- wherein (a) is a diameter or width (φ) of said opening has a relation of φ≦0.35R and R≦200 μm and (b) is the diameter or width (φ) of said opening is less than 10 μm.
A fabrication method of a mold for a microlens having a desired curvature radius R, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive;
- (b) forming an insulating mask layer on the conductive portion of the substrate;
- (c) forming an opening in the mask layer to expose the conductive portion of the substrate at the opening, wherein the diameter or width (φ) of the opening is less than 10 μm or wherein φ≦0.35R and R≦200 μm;
- and
- (d) performing electroplating using the conductive portion of the substrate as a cathode to deposit a plated layer in the opening and on the mask layer.
A fabrication method of a microlens having a desired curvature radius R, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive;
- (b) forming an insulating mask layer on the conductive portion of the substrate;
- (c) forming an opening in the mask layer to expose the conductive portion of the substrate at the opening, wherein the diameter or width (φ) of the opening is less than 10 μm or wherein φ≦0.35R and R≦200 μm;
- and
- (d) performing electroplating using the conductive portion of the substrate as a cathode to deposit a plated layer in the opening and on the mask layer;
- (e) forming a mold on the substrate with the plated layer;
- (f) separating the mold from the substrate;
- (g) coating a first lens material on the mold;
- and
- (h) separating the first lens material from the mold.
A fabrication method of a mold for a microlens having a desired curvature radius R less than or equal to 200 μm, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive;
- (b) forming an insulating mask layer on the conductive portion of the substrate;
- (c) forming an opening in the mask layer to expose the conductive portion of the substrate at the opening, wherein the diameter or width (φ) of the opening is more than or equal to 10 μm and φ≦0.35R;
- and
- (d) performing electroplating using the conductive portion of the substrate as a cathode to deposit a plated layer in the opening and on the mask layer.
A fabrication method of a mold for a microlens comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive;
- (b) forming an insulating mask layer on the conductive portion of the substrate;
- (c) forming an opening in the mask layer to expose the conductive portion of the substrate at the opening, wherein the diameter or width (φ) of the opening is less than 10 μm;
- and
- (d) performing electroplating using the conductive portion of the substrate as a cathode to deposit a plated layer in the opening and on the mask layer.
A fabrication method of a microlens having a desired curvature radius R less than or equal to 200 μm, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive;
- (b) forming an insulating mask layer on the conductive portion of the substrate;
- (c) forming an opening in the mask layer to expose the conductive portion of the substrate at the opening, wherein the diameter or width (φ) of the opening is more than or equal to 10 μm and φ≦0.35R;
- and
- (d) performing electroplating using the conductive portion of the substrate as a cathode to deposit a plated layer in the opening and on the mask layer;
- (e) forming a mold on the substrate with the plated layer;
- (f) separating the mold from the substrate;
- (g) coating a first lens material on the mold;
- and
- (h) separating the first lens material from the mold.
A fabrication method of a microlens comprising the steps of:
- (a) preparing a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive;
- (b) forming an insulating mask layer on the conductive portion of the substrate;
- (c) forming an opening in the mask layer to expose the conductive portion of the substrate at the opening, wherein the diameter or width (φ) of the opening is less than 10 μm;
- and
- (d) performing electroplating using the conductive portion of the substrate as a cathode to deposit a plated layer in the opening and on the mask layer;
- (e) forming a mold on the substrate with the plated layer;
- (f) separating the mold from the substrate;
- (g) coating a first lens material on the mold;
- and
- (h) separating the first lens material from the mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.