Versatile route to gapless microlens arrays using laser-tunable wet-etched curved surfaces.
This work reveals a cost-efficient and flexible approach to various microlens arrays on polymers, which is essential to micro-optics elements. An 800-nm femtosecond laser is employed to control the hydrofluoric (HF) acid etching process on silica glasses, and concave microstructures with smooth curved surfaces are produced by this method. Then, the micro-structured glass templates can serve as molds for replicating microlenses on polymers. In this paper, a high-ordered microlens array with over 16,000 hexagonal-shaped lenses is fabricated on poly (dimethyl siloxane) [PDMS], and its perfect light-gathering ability and imaging performance are demonstrated. The flexibility of this method is demonstrated by successful preparation of several concave molds with different patterns which are difficult to be obtained by other methods. This technique provides a new route to small-scaled, smooth and curved surfaces which is widely used in micro-optics, biochemical analysis and superhydrophobic interface.
State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering & Key Laboratory of Photonics Technology for Information, School of Electronics & information Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 710049, China.
Bian
B
Hao
Hewei
H
Liu
Feng
F
Chen
Qing
Q
Yang
Pubo
P
Qu
Guangqing
G
Du
Jinhai
J
Si
Xianhua
X
Wang
Xun
X
Hou