Geometrical characterization techniques for microlens made by thermal reflow of photoresist cylinder

Microlens characterization is a prerequisite for improving fabrication process, and for satisfying the end user needs. In this paper we explore techniques to characterize geometrical properties of microlens made by thermal reflow: viz. microlens profile; radius of curvature; microlens height; contact angle and focal length. The geometrical characterization is done using techniques such as contact profilometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, white light confocal microscopy and fluorescence confocal microscopy. All the above techniques are studied and compared, keeping in mind the characterization requirements of polymer microlens made by thermal reflow technique.     

Research on micro-optical lenses fabrication technology

We present a detail investigation on the development of a series of gradient index (GRIN) optical glass microlens and polymer microlens and microlens arrays in our laboratory in recent years. The special glass material GRIN lenses have been fabricated mainly by using ion-exchange technology, which are applied to construct micro-optic devices and other applications. On one hand, we demonstrated the light propagation and imaging properties of GRIN lenses and the results analyzed. On the other hand, we have explored a drop-on-demand ink-jet printing method to produce microlens array using nano-scale polymer droplets involved with a uniform ultraviolet light and heat solidifying process. The experimental setup for manufacturing polymer microlens array and the performance of refractive microlens elements are also given in this paper.     

微透镜阵列线性光学扫描器

本文介绍了一种新型的线性扫描光学系统，它由一对处于望远型结构的微透镜阵列和一个普通的会聚透镜组成。微透镜阵列采用二元光学技术进行设计和制作。该装置具有扫描灵敏度高（～１０００）、扫描范围大（±１００ｍｍ）、结构紧凑、价格低廉等优点。     

Micromachined transmissive scanning confocal microscope

We have developed a miniature scanning confocal microscope that uses electrostatically actuated microlenses for focusing and scanning. Objective lenses, scanners, a pupil, and a pinhole of the confocal microscope are microfabricated and integrated into a volume smaller than 2 mm3 by stacking these components. Objective lenses are composed of two vertically cascaded polymer microlenses integrated into micromachined comb actuators. Raster scanning is implemented by electrostatically actuating each microlens in orthogonal directions. We have demonstrated reflection confocal imaging with 3-microm transverse resolution over a 100-microm field of view and a 0.38-mm working distance at lambda = 633 nm.     

非球面液滴微透镜固化控制和焦斑测量研究

利用电场改变液滴透镜的面形得到非球面,并实时检测其面形和焦斑图像,在适当的时候用紫外光固化液滴制作具有良好光学性能的非球面微透镜.比较了非球面液滴微透镜在固化前后面形、焦斑的变化和对透镜性能的影响,讨论了液滴透镜在固化过程中变形的机理和相应的解决方法.用分辨率50 nm的光斑探针扫描仪精确测量了固化后的非球面微透镜的聚焦光斑,测得了光斑轴向分布曲线和均方根直径3.384μm的聚焦光斑,经图像处理计算了透镜的点扩散函数和光学传递函数,评价了所制作的非球面微透镜的聚光和成像能力,并给出了透镜的实际成像图像,对于完善高品质非球面微透镜及其阵列的制作工艺具有重要意义.     

Multifocal optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy in vivo

Although ultrasound arrays have been exploited in photoacoustic imaging to improve imaging speed, ultrasound-array-based optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) has never been achieved previously to our knowledge. Here we present our development of multifocal OR-PAM using a microlens array for optical illumination and an ultrasound array for photoacoustic detection. Our system is capable of imaging hemoglobin concentration and oxygenation in individual microvessels in vivo at high speed. Compared with a single focus, multiple foci reduce the scanning load and increase the imaging speed significantly. The current multifocal system can acquire 1000 × 500 × 200 voxels at ~10 μm lateral resolution within 4 min.     

小F数衍射微透镜阵列光学性能研究

本文基于小光点扫描,在国内首次提出了一种测试小F数衍射微透镜阵列光学性能的方法.利用光通信用半导体激光器和探测器建立了一套测试系统,并对所研制的大阵列,小单元尺寸的多相位菲涅耳衍射微透镜阵列的衍射效率和点扩散函数进行了测试.结果表明,衍射微透镜实际衍射光斑比理论衍射受限光斑扩展不大,8相位和16相位石英微透镜的衍射效率分别高达80.2%和87.5%,说明本实验室对多相位的设计理论和制作工艺已基本掌握,满足应用的要求.     

用按需滴定技术制备聚合物微透镜阵列

采用高分子聚合物-单体混合溶液按需滴定-原位热聚合的新方法制作折射微透镜及其阵列.制备透镜的主要材料是甲基丙烯酸甲酯及其聚合物.制备的微透镜直径在1 mm～3 mm范围内,矢高为100 μm～400 μm,透镜焦距在1 mm～4 mm之间.所得微透镜在波长λ=1.55 μm处有很好的光学透过率(90%),适于作光通信耦合器件.用AFM-Ⅱ型原子力显微镜测得微透镜阵列的表面粗糙度Ra约等于0.9 nm,并通过液体的表面张力理论分析了微透镜的形成机理.     

Liquid-crystal microlens arrays using patterned polymer networks

A real-time dynamically tunable-focus microlens array made from a polymer-liquid-crystal (LC) composite is demonstrated. The polymer was first patterned in microlens array cavities by lamination, and the LC-monomer mixture was then injected to the molded polymer cavities and finally stabilized by UV light-induced networks. Using this new fabrication method, we demonstrated a lens with a spherical shape and a glazed surface. This LC-based microlens can reach approximately 100% light efficiency for linearly polarized light. The saturation voltage of the lens is approximately 60 Vrms, and the response time is approximately 30 ms.     

聚合物梯度折射率微球透镜的研制

选取高分子单体组合,用悬浮扩散共聚法研制具有球对称梯度折射率(Gradient Refractive Index,GRIN)的微型聚合物球透镜.用剪切干涉法测定微透镜试样的折射率剖面,根据分布曲线的特征调整、优化制备工艺条件,成功获得直径0.3～1.4 mm、透明、在半径的全程范围具有球对称折射率梯度,折射率差ΔN为0.006～0.014的微型聚合物球透镜.     

凹折射微透镜阵列的离子束刻蚀制作

利用光刻热熔成形工艺及离子束刻蚀制作 12 8× 12 8元凹微透镜阵列。所制硅及石英凹微透镜的典型基本图形分别为凹球冠形、凹柱形和矩顶凹面形。分析了在光致抗蚀剂柱凹微透镜图形制作过程中的膜系匹配特性 ,与制作该种微透镜有关的光掩模版的主要结构参数 ,以及光致抗蚀剂掩模工艺参数的控制依据等。探讨了在凹微透镜器件制作基础上利用成膜工艺开展平面折射微透镜器件制作的问题。采用扫描电子显微镜 (SEM)和表面轮廓仪测试了所制石英凹微透镜阵列的表面微结构形貌。给出了所制石英凹微透镜阵列远场光学特性的测试结果。     

Effects of low polymer content in a liquid-crystal microlens

A small number of bifunctional monomers are mixed with a nematic liquid crystal (LC) and cured with a distributed electric field, which is produced by a circular-hole-patterned electrode structure. A gradient type of lens, that is, a LC microlens, is investigated for various polymer concentrations. Addition of 3% polymer is enough to freeze the gradient-index properties of the structure in the form of a convex lens, and a polymer-stabilized LC microlens is demonstrated. Although a lower concentration of polymer cannot hold the distribution properties in a curing process, it can maintain the variable focus as a nematic material can. The polymer networks can also eliminate the disclination line that usually appears and causes the lens in this type of LC device to deteriorate.     

Fabrication of concave microlens arrays using controllable dielectrophoretic force in template holes

This Letter presents a method for fabricating concave microlens arrays of UV-curable polymer by using the dielectrophoresis (DEP) force. The DEP force, generated by a voltage between the patterned conductive template and substrate, acting on the polymer-air interface, can drive the dielectric liquid polymer into the template holes and change the shape of the polymer-air interface. The upper polymer surface of fabricated microlens is super smooth, which can reduce optical noise. The upper surface geometry is measured approximately as parabolic in general, which can lead to a negligible spherical aberration, compared to spherical surfaces.     

微透镜阵列光学相控阵扫描技术研究进展

光学相控阵光束扫描技术在激光雷达、空间光通信和光开关等领域拥有巨大的应用潜力。微透镜阵列光学相控阵可以通过微透镜阵列间μm量级的相对位移同时对多个出射光束的二维倾斜相位进行调制,从而实现大角度二维光束扫描,具有出射口径大、结构简单、体积小、微惯性、多功能等优点。首先介绍了微透镜阵列光学相控阵的扫描原理,之后对微透镜阵列光学相控阵国内外的发展现状、应用和现阶段存在的问题进行了阐述,最后对微透镜阵列光学相控阵的发展趋势进行了展望。     

Tunable microlens arrays using polymer network liquid crystal

A tunable-focus microlens array based on polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) is demonstrated. The PNLC was prepared using an ultraviolet (UV) light exposure through a patterned photomask. The photocurable monomer in each of the UV exposed spot forms an inhomogeneous centro-symmetrical polymer network which acts as a lens when a homogeneous electric field is applied to the cell. The focal length of the microlens arrays is tunable with the applied voltage.     

Flat polymeric microlens array

A polymer-based flat microlens array is demonstrated. Within each pixel of the array, the polymer presents a circular central-symmetric inhomogeneous orientation. Pixel with such a structure behaves a lens-like character. A suitable amount of liquid crystal mixed in the polymer host can improve not only the lens flexibility but also the lens performance. Moreover, the polymer-based microlens array has the advantages of real planar surface, ultra-thin thickness, and can be designed with any aperture size.     

Electrically controllable microlens array fabricated by anisotropic phase separation from liquid-crystal and polymer composite materials

Anisotropic phase separation has been used to fabricate an electrically switchable microlens array from nematic liquid crystals. Nematic liquid-crystal-based microlens arrays have been built with diameters of approximately 400 microm and natural focal lengths as small as 1.6 mm. The focal length of each microlens in the array can be changed in milliseconds by an applied electric field. These devices, which have no internal substructures to scatter light, offer higher efficiency and greater light throughput than polymer dispersed devices.     

Applications of Liquid Crystals to Variable-Focusing Lenses

Liquid Crystal (LC) lens cells with variable focusing properties are fabricated using nematic LC materials and applicable to optical devices, and our recent work on these cells is described. First, the LC lens cells are prepared using lens-shaped substrates coated with transparent electrodes. Their focal length can be continuously varied between the values for an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray by changing the voltage passing across them. Methods of improving properties and some applications of the lens-shaped LC lens are briefly described. The lens properties of these cells with plane-paralleled structure are then demonstrated, where the refractive index is graded to a quadratic distribution resulting from an axially symmetric non-uniform electric field. LC cells with axially distributed tilt angles are constructed using a pair of circular hole-patterned electrode substrates and very small LC lens (LC microlens) with variable focusing can be fabricated. Optimizing the electrode structure, device parameters, and material parameters of the LCs, excellent focusing properties can be obtained. The properties of the LC microlens are improved by using the polymer stabilization technique. The LC microlens with a divided electrode structure shows three-dimensional beam steering and focusing properties, and the astigmatic aberration caused by the molecular orientation effect can be compensated. Applications of the LC microlens to optical devices and systems are introduced.     

Multiphoton multifocal microscopy exploiting a diffractive optical element

Multiphoton multifocal microscopy (MMM) usually has been achieved through a combination of galvo scanners with microlens arrays, with rotating disks of microlens arrays, and cascaded beam splitters with asynchronous rastering of scanning mirrors. Here we describe the achievement of a neat and compact MMM by use of a high-diffraction-efficiency diffractive-optic element that generates a multiple-spot grid of uniform intensity to achieve higher fidelity in imaging of live cells at adequate speeds.     

Varifocal liquid-filled microlens operated by an electroactive polymer actuator

We designed, fabricated, and characterized varifocal microlenses, whose focal length varies along with the deformation of a transparent elastomer membrane under hydraulic pressure tailored by electroactive polymer actuators. The microfluidic channel of the microlens was designed to be embedded between silicon and glass so that transient fluctuation of the optical fluid and elastomer membrane is effectively suppressed, and thus the microlens is optically stabilized in a reduced time. Multilayered poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-clorotrifluoroethylene) actuators were also developed and integrated onto the microfluidic chambers. We demonstrated that the developed microlenses are suitable for use in microimaging systems to make their foci tunable.