LIGA technology for the synthesis of diffractive refractive intraocular lenses

The manufacturing of test diffractive refractive intraocular lenses is illustrated by means of LIGA (deep X-ray LIthography and GAlvanoplastics and polymer forming). Dynamic X-ray lithography used while rotating the substrate versus an X-ray mask fixed in a beam of synchrotron radiation (SR) yields smooth optical 3D surfaces with roughnesses of 10–30 nm rms in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) layers. The axisymmetric diffractive refractive profile of a lens is predetermined by the radial angular function of the X-ray mask topology. The quality of the optical surface is reproduced for the nickel master form, which is electroplated onto a gold layer atop the PMMA relief. The optical quality also remains high for replicated lenses synthesized in this manner during silicon polymerization.