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ADDITIVE LITHOGRAPHY FABRICATION AND INTEGRATION OF MICRO OPTICS

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Date Issued:
2006
Abstract/Description:
Optical elements are the fundamental components in photonic systems and are used to transform an input optical beam into a desired beam profile or to couple the input beam into waveguides, fibers, or other optical systems or devices. Macroscopic optical elements are easily fabricated using grinding and polishing techniques, but few methods exist for inexpensive fabrication of micro optical elements. In this work we present an innovative technique termed Additive Lithography that makes use of binary masks and controlled partial exposures to sculpt photoresist into the desired optical surface relief profile. We explore various masking schemes for fabricating a variety of optical elements with unprecedented flexibility and precision. These masking schemes used in conjunction with the additive lithographic method allows us to carefully control the photoresist exposure and reflow processes for fabricating complex aspheric lens elements, including aspheric elements whose fabrication often proves highly problematic. It will be demonstrated that employing additive lithography for volume sculpting followed by controlled reflow can also allow us to fabricate refractive beam shaping elements. Finally we will discuss the dry etching techniques used to transfer these optical elements into the glass substrate. Thus the additive lithography technique will be demonstrated as an inexpensive, high throughput and efficient process in the fabrication of micro optical elements.
Title: ADDITIVE LITHOGRAPHY FABRICATION AND INTEGRATION OF MICRO OPTICS.
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Name(s): Pitchumani, Mahesh, Author
Johnson, Eric, Committee Chair
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2006
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Optical elements are the fundamental components in photonic systems and are used to transform an input optical beam into a desired beam profile or to couple the input beam into waveguides, fibers, or other optical systems or devices. Macroscopic optical elements are easily fabricated using grinding and polishing techniques, but few methods exist for inexpensive fabrication of micro optical elements. In this work we present an innovative technique termed Additive Lithography that makes use of binary masks and controlled partial exposures to sculpt photoresist into the desired optical surface relief profile. We explore various masking schemes for fabricating a variety of optical elements with unprecedented flexibility and precision. These masking schemes used in conjunction with the additive lithographic method allows us to carefully control the photoresist exposure and reflow processes for fabricating complex aspheric lens elements, including aspheric elements whose fabrication often proves highly problematic. It will be demonstrated that employing additive lithography for volume sculpting followed by controlled reflow can also allow us to fabricate refractive beam shaping elements. Finally we will discuss the dry etching techniques used to transfer these optical elements into the glass substrate. Thus the additive lithography technique will be demonstrated as an inexpensive, high throughput and efficient process in the fabrication of micro optical elements.
Identifier: CFE0000914 (IID), ucf:46761 (fedora)
Note(s): 2006-05-01
Ph.D.
Optics and Photonics,
Doctorate
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): additive lithography
lithography
micro optics
diffractive optical elements
DOE
etching
RIE
ICP
fused silica
selectivity
lens
toroidal
vortex
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000914
Restrictions on Access: public
Host Institution: UCF

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