Method for manufacturing three dimensional optical components

A method comprising,

• providing a substrate comprising contiguous rigid plates and arranged such that a major surface of each rigid plate lies substantially in a plane, wherein at least one of said surfaces is characterized by a micro-optical structure;
• and
• folding the substrate such that the at least one surface having a micro-optical structure and at least one other said surface are disposed at an angle to one another,
• wherein providing the substrate comprises molding the substrate and separately forming the micro-optical structure in the substrate, and
• wherein separately forming the micro-optical structure is by hot-embossing or by UV-embossing.

A method, comprising:

• providing a substrate comprising contiguous rigid plates and arranged such that a major surface of each rigid plate lies substantially in a plane, wherein at least one of said surfaces is characterized by a micro-optical structure;
• folding the substrate such that the at least one surface having a micro-optical structure and at least one other said surface are disposed at an angle to one another,
• wherein at least five surfaces each have a micro-optical structure, and folding comprises folding such that each of the at least five surfaces are disposed at an angle to one another, and wherein said at least five surfaces define a mesa structure after folding;
• disposing a light source within a cavity defined by the mesa structure;
• and
• substantially filling said cavity with an optical material having a desired refractive index.

A method for manufacturing an optical component in three dimensions comprising:

• providing a substrate comprising contiguous rigid plates and arranged such that a major surface of each rigid plate lies substantially in a plane, wherein at least one of said surfaces is characterized by a micro-optical structure;
• folding the substrate such that the at least one surface having a micro-optical structure and at least one other said surface are disposed at an angle to one another, wherein at least five surfaces each have a micro-optical structure, and folding comprises folding such that each of the at least five surfaces are disposed at an angle to one another, wherein said at least five surfaces define a mesa structure after folding;
• and
• disposing a plurality of additional plates, each having a reflective surface, about the mesa structure such that each surface that defines a sidewall of the mesa structure faces a reflective surface.

A method comprising,

• providing a substrate comprising contiguous rigid plates and arranged such that a major surface of each rigid plate lies substantially in a plane, wherein at least one of said surfaces is characterized by a micro-optical structure;
• and
• folding the substrate such that the at least one surface having a micro-optical structure and at least one other said surface are disposed at an angle to one another,
• wherein folding comprises folding the substrate into a hollow closed structure and,
• wherein folding further comprises, prior to closing the structure, disposing a substantially planar cross member within the structure that diagonally bisects said closed rectangular structure.