JPH01180502A - Manufacture of optical element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the alignment of each optical element of both faces by filling a stamper of the optical element which as been formed by a material being transparent against ultraviolet rays, with an ultraviolet curing resin, and also, allowing a substrate to adhere closely, radiating ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet curing resin through the stamper. CONSTITUTION:On a substrate 1 being transparent against ultraviolet rays, an inversion pattern 2 of a desired optical element is formed, and by bringing it to dry etching, a transparent stamper 3 having a recessed pattern 4 of an optical element is formed. Subsequently, the recessed patterns 4 of two pieces of transparent stampers 3 are filled with an ultraviolet curing resin 11, a transparent substrate 10 of glass, etc., is interposed, and both the stampers 3 are pressed in each direction by a transparent holding plate 5. Next, by using an ultraviolet light lamp 7, ultraviolet rays are radiated to the filled resin 11 from the outside, and an optical element 11A is formed as one body on both faces of the substrate 10. In such a way, the alignment accuracy of the optical element 11A of both faces of the substrate 10 can be improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Summary of the Invention In the 2P method (Photo-Polymer method) for creating an optical element replica on a substrate using an ultraviolet curable resin.

By making the stamper a transparent material, it is possible to irradiate the ultraviolet curing resin with ultraviolet rays through the stamper. Optical elements can be formed on both sides of the substrate.

It becomes easy to align the optical elements on both sides. The process becomes easier. There are effects such as

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an optical element on a substrate by a 2P method (Photo-Polymer method) in which a stamper is filled with an ultraviolet curable resin.

Prior Art and Its Problems As a method for molding optical elements with fine patterns such as plastic Fresnel φ lenses, the applicant has already proposed a method of producing a female mold (stamper) by electroforming (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 62-161533). If you try to fill the stamper made in this way with an ultraviolet curing resin and then irradiate it with ultraviolet rays to cure the resin with a transparent substrate in close contact with it, the stamper is made of metal such as nickel or chromium. Ultraviolet rays do not pass through the transparent substrate, and irradiation with ultraviolet rays can only be performed from the transparent substrate side.

Summary of the Invention Object of the Invention The object of the present invention is to provide flexibility in the irradiation of ultraviolet rays in a method for manufacturing an optical element using a stamper and an ultraviolet curable resin filled in the stamper.

Structure 2 of the Invention Functions and Effects This invention forms a stamper of an optical element using a material transparent to ultraviolet rays, fills the stamper with an ultraviolet curing resin, brings the substrate into close contact with it, and applies ultraviolet rays to the ultraviolet curing resin through the stamper. The method is characterized in that an optical element having an inverted pattern of the stamper is produced on the substrate by irradiation.

According to this invention, since the stamper is made of an i material that is transparent to ultraviolet rays, it is possible to irradiate ultraviolet rays through the stamper and cure the ultraviolet curing resin. Of course, if the substrate is transparent, ultraviolet rays can be irradiated through the substrate. Since ultraviolet rays can be irradiated through the stamper, it becomes possible to form optical elements on both sides of the substrate, and at this time, it becomes easy to adjust the optical axes of the optical elements on both sides. In this invention, since the optical element molded by the stamper is integrally formed on the substrate, there is also an advantage that the optical element is difficult to deform.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the procedure for producing a transparent stubber. In FIG. 1A, an inverted pattern 2 of a desired optical element is formed on a substrate 1 transparent to ultraviolet light such as glass, quartz, or transparent plastic by photolithography, electron beam lithography, or the like. When forming an optical element inversion pattern by electron beam lithography, a conductive material is used as the substrate 1, or a thin conductive film (such as an ITO film) is formed on the surface of the substrate 1 to prevent charge-up. Good. The substrate 1 on which the optical element inversion pattern 2 is formed is the master for the replica.

Next, in FIG. 1(B), the substrate 1 having the optical element inversion pattern 2 is heated with, for example, CF4 gas.

When dry etching is performed using a mixed gas of CF4+H2 or the like, an inverted optical element pattern is transferred to the substrate 1.

In this way, a transparent stamper (substrate) 3 having a concave pattern 4 of optical elements is produced.

FIG. 2 shows how optical elements are integrally molded on both sides of a substrate using the two transparent stampers 3 formed as described above.

Fill the concave patterns 4 of two transparent stampers 3 with ultraviolet curable resin U, arrange the transparent stampers 3 so that the concave patterns 4 face each other, and place a transparent substrate such as plastic or glass between the transparent stampers 3. 1 with 10 interposed
Both stampers 3 are pressed toward each other by a transparent presser plate 5. If necessary, guides 6 are provided around the transparent stamper 3 (or on both sides or all sides) for alignment of the stamper 3 and the substrate IO. Then, the filled resin 11 is irradiated with ultraviolet light from the outside using the ultraviolet light lamp 7 through the transparent presser plate 5 and the transparent stamper 3. When the resin 11 is cured, the substrate 11 is cured as shown in FIG.
Optical elements 11A are integrally formed on both sides of 0.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, since two transparent stampers 3 are used, ultraviolet rays can be irradiated from both sides of these transparent stampers 3, and the distribution of light quantity can be made uniform. Further, by providing the guide 6, the alignment accuracy of the optical elements 11A on both sides of the substrate 10 can be improved.

A large number of optical elements having the configuration shown in FIG. 2 are arranged, or a concave pattern 4 of a large number of optical elements is formed on the substrate 1 to form the arrangement shown in FIG. By irradiating ultraviolet rays, a large number of optical elements can be molded at once, making it possible to produce FFI products.

In the above embodiments, a transparent substrate is used as the substrate IO, but an opaque substrate may be used. The substrate on which the optical element is integrally molded is not limited to a plate or sheet shape, but may be a block shape such as a prism. If the substrate itself has some kind of optical property (for example, a prism has a deflection effect), many types of optical functional elements can be integrated by integrally molding an optical element such as a lens onto it. It becomes like this.

FIG. 4 shows another example. Here, optical elements are similarly formed on both sides of the substrate IO.

One stanbar 8 is an opaque one made by electroforming, for example. In this case, the ultraviolet light from the lamp 7 is placed only on the transparent stamper 3 side, and the opaque stamper 8
The resin 11 is irradiated with ultraviolet light that has passed through the transparent stand bar 3 and the transparent substrate 10.

This invention is of course applicable to the case where an optical element is integrally molded only on one surface of a substrate.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 (^) (B) and (C) show the process of manufacturing a transparent stamper, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing how an optical element is manufactured using two transparent stampers, and Figure 3 FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the manufactured optical element, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another example. 3...Transparent stamper, lO...substrate. 11... Ultraviolet curing resin. 11A...Optical element. that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] By forming a stamper of an optical element from a material transparent to ultraviolet rays, filling this stamper with an ultraviolet curable resin and bringing the substrate into close contact with the stamper, and irradiating the ultraviolet rays through the stamper to the ultraviolet curable resin, An optical element having an inverted pattern of the stamper is fabricated on a substrate. Method for manufacturing optical elements.