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US 8,541,735 B2Granted
Inlaid optical material and method of manufacture
AssigneeInnovative Micro Technology
InventorsJohn S. Foster, John C. Harley, Ian R. Johnston, Jeffery F. Summers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical material is inlaid into a supporting substrate, with the top surface of the optical material flush with the top surface of the substrate, wherein the optical element is used to shape a beam of light travelling substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate, but with the central axis of the beam below the top surface of the substrate. The optical elements serve to shape the beam of light for delivery to or from a microfabricated structure within the device.
Claims17
A microdevice comprising:
- a substrate having a top surface;
- at least one void formed in the top surface;
- a first optical element comprising a first optically transmissive material having an index of refraction and contained in the at least one void, wherein a top surface of the optically transmissive material does not extend beyond the top surface of the substrate and wherein the first optically transmissive material comprises at least one of SiOz, glass, InTiO2, photoresist, and sapphire, and wherein the first optical element is configured to transmit a beam of light propagating in a plane substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate and has a symmetry axis which is substantially parallel to the top surface;
- and
- a second optically transmissive material having a different index of refraction and disposed adjacent to the first optically transmissive material, and configured to either reflect or refract the beam of light at a boundary between the first and the second optically transmissive materials, and wherein the second optically transmissive material comprises at least one of air, water and an oil.
2 more elements
A method for making a microdevice, comprising:
- forming a first void in a top surface of a substrate;
- and
- depositing a thin layer of conductive material conformally over the top surface of the substrate and into the first void;
- forming a first optical element by depositing a first optically transmissive material having an index of refraction into the first void;
- planarizing the top surface of the first optically transmissive material until it is substantially flush with the top surface of the substrate, wherein the first optical element is configured to interact with a beam of light propagating in a plane substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate;
- and
- forming a second void into the top surface of the substrate, adjacent to and contiguous with the first optical element.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.