Bottom up apparatus design for formation of self-propagating photopolymer waveguides
US10061201B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 2016 |
| Grant date | Aug 28, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 24, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B2006/1219
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for fabricating micro-truss structures. A reservoir holds a volume of a liquid photomonomer configured to polymerize to form a photopolymer when exposed to suitable light such as ultraviolet light. A mask at the bottom of the reservoir includes a plurality of apertures. Light enters the reservoir through each aperture from several directions, forming a plurality of self-guided photopolymer waveguides within the reservoir. The light is supplied by one or more sources of collimated light. A plurality of mirrors may reflect the light from a single source of collimated light to form a plurality of collimated beams, that illuminate the photomonomer in the reservoir, through the mask, from a corresponding plurality of directions, to form a micro-truss structure including a plurality of self-guided waveguide members.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.