Optical hydrogel material with photosensitizer and method for modifying the refractive index

US9060847B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• University of Rochester · US
• Rochester Institute of Technology · US

Inventors

• Thomas W. Smith · Penfield, US
• Wayne H. Knox · Rochester, US
• Li Ding · Hefei, CN
• Dharmendra Jani · Keller, US
• Jeffrey G. Linhardt · Fairport, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 4, 2009
• Grant date: Jun 23, 2015
• Expiry date: Dec 25, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02C2202/14
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for modifying the refractive index of an optical, hydrogel polymeric material. The method comprises irradiating predetermined regions of an optical, polymeric material with a laser to form refractive structures. To facilitate the formation of the refractive structures the optical, hydrogel polymeric material comprises a photosensitizer. The presence of the photosensitizer permits one to set a scan rate to a value that is at least fifty times greater than a scan rate without the photosensitizer in the material, yet provides similar refractive structures in terms of the observed change in refractive index. Alternatively, the photosensitizer in the polymeric material permits one to set an average laser power to a value that is at least two times less than an average laser power without the photosensitizer in the material, yet provide similar refractive structures.