Apparatus for forming an array of microlenses under artificial gravity
US7682147B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 6, 2006 |
| Grant date | Mar 23, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 21, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S425/129
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A microlens is affixed in the far field of an optical fiber to spatially transform a beam either entering or exiting the fiber. In a first embodiment, a droplet of photo polymer is placed on the end of an optical fiber and the fiber is spun to create an artificial gravity. The droplet is cured by UV radiation during the spinning. In a second embodiment, nanoparticles are mixed into the droplet to increase the refractive index of the photo polymer. A third embodiment employs artificial gravity to attach a microsphere to the end of the optical fiber. A fourth embodiment chemically treats the surface of the microsphere so that the requirement of artificial gravity is either reduced or eliminated. In a fifth embodiment the droplet is cured under equilibrium or nonequilibrium conditions to obtain different final shapes for the lenslet. A sixth embodiment discloses fabrication of microlens arrays.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.