Edge sealant confinement and halo reduction for optical devices

US11022748B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Molecular Imprints, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Michael Nevin Miller · Austin, US
• Frank Y. Xu · Round Rock, US
• Vikramjit Singh · Pflugerville, US
• Eric C. Browy · Coral Springs, US
• Jason Schaefer · Coral Springs, US
• Robert D. Tekolste · Fort Lauderdale, US
• Victor Kai Liu · Mountain View, US
• Samarth Bhargava · Saratoga, US
• Jeffrey Dean Schmulen · Austin, US
• Brian T. Schowengerdt · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 7, 2019
• Grant date: Jun 1, 2021
• Expiry date: Feb 20, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02F2201/307
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Techniques are described for using confinement structures and/or pattern gratings to reduce or prevent the wicking of sealant polymer (e.g., glue) into the optically active areas of a multi-layered optical assembly. A multi-layered optical structure may include multiple layers of substrate imprinted with waveguide grating patterns. The multiple layers may be secured using an edge adhesive, such as a resin, epoxy, glue, and so forth. A confinement structure such as an edge pattern may be imprinted along the edge of each layer to control and confine the capillary flow of the edge adhesive and prevent the edge adhesive from wicking into the functional waveguide grating patterns of the layers. Moreover, the edge adhesive may be carbon doped or otherwise blackened to reduce the reflection of light off the edge back into the interior of the layer, thus improving the optical function of the assembly.