Fabrication of a laminated optical wedge
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsKurt Allen Jenkins, Timothy Large, Rajesh Manohar Dighde
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments are disclosed that relate to fabrication of a laminated optical wedge. One embodiment provides a method comprising inserting a wedge blank into a vacuum molding tool, applying a vacuum to the vacuum molding tool, and removing a layer from a top surface of the wedge blank to expose a machined surface of the wedge blank. The method further comprises laminating a finish piece to the machined surface via an adhesive, wherein the finish piece comprises a smoother surface than the machined surface, and curing the adhesive to form a finished optical wedge. The method further comprises removing the finished optical wedge from the vacuum molding tool.
Claims16
A method of fabricating an optical wedge configured to transmit light via total internal reflection between a first light interface located at an end of the optical wedge and a second light interface located at a major face of the optical wedge, the method comprising:
- inserting a wedge blank into a vacuum molding tool;
- applying a vacuum to the vacuum molding tool to impart a surface profile of the vacuum molding tool to the wedge blank;
- removing a layer from a top surface of the wedge blank to expose a machined surface of the wedge blank while applying the vacuum to the vacuum molding tool;
- laminating a finish piece to the machined surface via an adhesive, the finish piece comprising a smoother surface than the machined surface;
- curing the adhesive to form a finished optical wedge;
- and
- removing the finished optical wedge from the vacuum molding tool.
A method of fabricating an optical wedge configured to transmit light via total internal reflection between a first light interface located at an end of the optical wedge and a second light interface located at a major face of the optical wedge, the method comprising:
- inserting a wedge blank into a vacuum molding tool;
- applying a vacuum to the vacuum molding tool to impart a surface profile of the vacuum molding tool to the wedge blank;
- while applying the vacuum to the vacuum molding tool, removing a layer from a top surface of the wedge blank to expose a first portion having a machined surface;
- laminating a second portion to the machined surface via an optically-transparent hot-melt curable adhesive, the second portion having a surface opposite of a face proximate to the adhesive that is smoother than the machined surface;
- and
- curing the adhesive to form a finished optical wedge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.