Method of manufacturing a grin lens
US5917105A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 15, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jun 29, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 15, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B3/0087
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method is provided of manufacturing an optical element having an optical axis, and including a plurality of definable adjacent zones of optical material, each zone having a definable refractive index different from the refractive index of an adjacent zone and an Abbe number, the zones of optical materials being arranged parallel to each other to define a profile of refractive indices which is symmetric about a plane of symmetry along the optical axis of the element and parallel to the zones. The method include (a) arranging a plurality of substantially planar layers of optical material having different refractive indices and Abbe numbers in order of their respective refractive indices; (b) fusing and diffusing together the plurality of layers to form a solid body of optical material having a first face of material having the highest refractive index and a second face of material having the lowest refractive index of the plurality of selected optical materials; (c) removing two portions of the body, each including part of the first and second faces; and (d) joining the two portions together with faces of material of like refractive index abutting. In one embodiment, the optical el…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.