Miniature lenses, systems and methods of making the same

US8587881B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KANPUR · IN

Inventors

• Ashutosh Sharma · Kanpur, IN
• Ankur Verma · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 5, 2011
• Grant date: Nov 19, 2013
• Expiry date: Sep 12, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/24802
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Techniques related to miniature lenses and lens arrays are generally described herein. The described techniques may be embodied in apparatuses, systems, methods and/or processes for making and using such lenses. In some examples, the various techniques may be utilized for miniature lenses such as nanometer to micron sized spherical lenses or lens arrays. An example process may include dewetting polymer films to form such lenses. The resulting lens-size may be tunable from about 200 nm to a few tens of microns, and more particularly in a range from about 200 nm to about 10 μm with spherical shapes of contact angles ranging from about 30° to about 150°. The resulting lenses may be tunable polymeric structures formed generally by self-organized room temperature dewetting of ultrathin polymer films by reducing the surface tension.