Manufacturing method for optical element

A manufacturing method for an optical element in which a surface to be bonded of a first optical crystal member having an optical axis and a surface to be bonded of a second optical crystal member having an optical axis are bonded and formed integrally by adjusting both of the optical axes to a prescribed angle;

• wherein an outer shape of the surface to be bonded of said first optical crystal member is formed as a shape in which the length in a direction parallel to the optical axis of said first optical crystal member differs from the length in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of said first optical crystal member;
• an outer shape of the surface to be bonded of said second optical crystal member is formed as a shape coinciding with the outer shape of the surface to be bonded of said first optical crystal member or a shape obtained by enlarging or reducing the coinciding shape in an orientation in which the optical axis of said second optical crystal member and the optical axis of said first optical crystal member are adjusted to said prescribed angle;
• the surface to be bonded of said first optical crystal member and the surface to be bonded of said second optical crystal member are overlapped with a droplet of liquid interposed therebetween and are bonded so as to be formed integrally after autonomous alignment by surface tension,
• the outer shape of the surface to be bonded of said first optical crystal member is a rectangle,
• the first optical crystal member and the second optical crystal member are rectangular parallelepipeds, and
• said autonomous alignment by surface tension causes corresponding sides of the surface to be bonded of said first optical crystal member and the surface to be bonded of said second optical crystal member to be parallel.