Low-temperature fabrication of glass optical components

• Main Authors: Aitken, Bruce G, Chatterjee, Dilip K, Raguin, Daniel H
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 05.12.2006

A method is provided for molding from glass certain complex optical components, such as lenses, microlens, arrays of microlenses, and gratings or surface-relief diffusers having fine or hyperfine microstructures suitable for optical or electro-optical applications. Thereby, mold masters or patterns, which define the profile of the optical components, made on metal alloys, particularly titanium or nickel alloys, or refractory compositions, with or without a non-reactive coating are used. Given that molding optical components from oxide glasses has numerous drawbacks, it has been discovered in accordance with the invention that non-oxide glasses substantially eliminates these drawbacks. The non-oxide glasses, such as chalcogenide, chalcohalide, and halide glasses, may be used in the mold either in bulk, planar, or power forms. In the mold, the glass is heated to about 10-110° C., preferably about 50° C., above its transition temperature (Tg), at which temperature the glass has a viscosity that permits it to flow and conform exactly to the pattern of the mold.