Fabrication of refractive microlens arrays by visible irradiation of acrylic monomers: influence of photonic parameters

Author： Croutxé-Barghorn C. Soppera O. Lougnot D. J.

E-ISSN： 1286-0050|13|1|31-37

ISSN： 1286-0042

Source： EPJ Applied Physics (The), Vol.13, Iss.1, 2010-03, pp. : 31-37

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Abstract

The fabrication of refractive microlenses with self-developing photopolymers is reported. A spatially controlled illumination of the photosensitive layer induced an inhomogeneous photopolymerization involving formation of 3-D polymer network, mass-transport process of reactive species and bending of the surface. The process exhibited a completely self-processing character without any chemical post-treatment to reveal the relief. The lens arrays displayed diameters ranging from less than 100 μm to 1 mm and focal lengths from 100 μm to a few millimeters, depending on photonic, optical and physico-chemical parameters. The paper focuses on the importance of photonic parameters in the generation of microlens arrays and discusses the flexibility of this technique in the visible range.