Method for fabrication of cylindrical microlenses of selected shape
Abstract
The present invention provides a diffraction limited, high numerical aperture (fast) cylindrical microlens. The method for making the microlens is adaptable to produce a cylindrical lens that has almost any shape on its optical surfaces. The cylindrical lens may have a shape, such as elliptical or hyperbolic, designed to transform some particular given input light distribution into some desired output light distribution. In the method, the desired shape is first formed in a glass preform. Then, the preform is heated to the minimum drawing temperature and a fiber is drawn from it. The cross-sectional shape of the fiber bears a direct relation to the shape of the preform from which it was drawn. During the drawing process, the surfaces become optically smooth due to fire polishing. The present invention has many applications, such as integrated optics, optical detectors and laser diodes. The lens, when connected to a laser diode bar, can provide a high intensity source of laser radiation for pumping a high average power solid state laser. In integrated optics, a lens can be used to couple light into and out of apertures such as waveguides. The lens can also be used to collect light, and focus it onmore »
- Inventors:
-
- San Jose, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 868502
- Patent Number(s):
- 5155631
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C03 - GLASS C03B - MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
G - PHYSICS G02 - OPTICS G02B - OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; fabrication; cylindrical; microlenses; selected; shape; provides; diffraction; limited; numerical; aperture; fast; microlens; adaptable; produce; lens; optical; surfaces; elliptical; hyperbolic; designed; transform; particular; input; light; distribution; desired; output; formed; glass; preform; heated; minimum; drawing; temperature; fiber; drawn; cross-sectional; bears; direct; relation; process; optically; smooth; due; fire; polishing; applications; integrated; optics; detectors; laser; diodes; connected; diode; bar; provide; intensity; source; radiation; pumping; average; power; solid; couple; apertures; waveguides; collect; focus; detector; selected shape; output light; optical detector; power solid; diode bar; light distribution; laser diodes; numerical aperture; cylindrical lens; input light; laser diode; laser radiation; average power; desired shape; diffraction limited; desired output; cross-sectional shape; optical surfaces; smooth due; optically smooth; minimum drawing; collect light; optical detectors; glass preform; couple light; drawing process; integrated optic; optical surface; fiber bears; direct relation; cylindrical microlens; drawing temperature; fire polishing; cylindrical microlenses; /359/
Citation Formats
Snyder, James J, and Baer, Thomas M. Method for fabrication of cylindrical microlenses of selected shape. United States: N. p., 1992.
Web.
Snyder, James J, & Baer, Thomas M. Method for fabrication of cylindrical microlenses of selected shape. United States.
Snyder, James J, and Baer, Thomas M. Wed .
"Method for fabrication of cylindrical microlenses of selected shape". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/868502.
@article{osti_868502,
title = {Method for fabrication of cylindrical microlenses of selected shape},
author = {Snyder, James J and Baer, Thomas M},
abstractNote = {The present invention provides a diffraction limited, high numerical aperture (fast) cylindrical microlens. The method for making the microlens is adaptable to produce a cylindrical lens that has almost any shape on its optical surfaces. The cylindrical lens may have a shape, such as elliptical or hyperbolic, designed to transform some particular given input light distribution into some desired output light distribution. In the method, the desired shape is first formed in a glass preform. Then, the preform is heated to the minimum drawing temperature and a fiber is drawn from it. The cross-sectional shape of the fiber bears a direct relation to the shape of the preform from which it was drawn. During the drawing process, the surfaces become optically smooth due to fire polishing. The present invention has many applications, such as integrated optics, optical detectors and laser diodes. The lens, when connected to a laser diode bar, can provide a high intensity source of laser radiation for pumping a high average power solid state laser. In integrated optics, a lens can be used to couple light into and out of apertures such as waveguides. The lens can also be used to collect light, and focus it on a detector.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}
Works referenced in this record:
Making Concentric Hemicylinder Lenses
journal, January 1974
- Parks, Robert E.; Cooke, Frank
- Applied Optics, Vol. 13, Issue 1