Photo-embossed optical elements and microfluidic lens fabrication

Many of the next generation of high-tech consumer products will take advantage of the manufacturing advances in micro-optics that we are currently taking place. One of the most important areas of micro-optic research is that of microlens design and fabrication. The importance of this area is perhaps highlighted by the range of competing fabrication technologies. Each having important advantages/disadvantages for a given application. It is therefore important to pursue other possible fabrication methods. In this paper we examine two of these novel fabrication techniques: (1) Photo-embossing in holographic recording materials, and (2) Microfluidic lens fabrication. The first of these techniques offers the possibility of combining the advantages of diffractive optical elements with those of conventional refractive. optical elements. The second technique in combination with inkjet deposition technology can be used to produce a wide range of optical elements (lenses) and offers the possibility of controlling the lens profile in real time during formation using electric fields.