An Ultraviolet-Lithography-Assisted Sintering Method for Glass Microlens Array Fabrication
Glass microlens arrays (MLAs) have tremendous prospects in the fields of optical communication, sensing and high-sensitivity imaging for their excellent optical properties, high mechanical robustness and physicochemical stability. So far, glass MLAs are primarily fabricated using femtosecond laser m...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Micromachines |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/11/2055 |
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| author | Fangyuan Zuo Shenghua Ma Wei Zhao Chenqian Yang Ziyu Li Chen Zhang Jintao Bai |
| author_facet | Fangyuan Zuo Shenghua Ma Wei Zhao Chenqian Yang Ziyu Li Chen Zhang Jintao Bai |
| author_sort | Fangyuan Zuo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Glass microlens arrays (MLAs) have tremendous prospects in the fields of optical communication, sensing and high-sensitivity imaging for their excellent optical properties, high mechanical robustness and physicochemical stability. So far, glass MLAs are primarily fabricated using femtosecond laser modification assisted etching, in which the preparation procedure is time-consuming, with each concave-shaped microlens being processed using a femtosecond laser point by point. In this paper, a new method is proposed for implementing large-scale glass MLAs using glass particle sintering with the assistance of ultraviolet (UV) lithography. The glass particles are dispersed into the photoresist at first, and then immobilized as large-scaled micropillar arrays on quartz glass substrate using UV lithographing. Subsequently, the solidified photoresist is debinded and the glass particles are melted by means of sintering. By controlling the sintering conditions, the convex microlens will be self-assembled, attributed to the surface tension of the molten glass particles. Finally, MLAs with different focal lengths (0.12 to 0.2 mm) are successfully fabricated by utilizing different lithography masks. Meanwhile, we also present the optimization of the sintering parameter for eliminating the bubbles in the microlenses. The main factors that affect the focal length of the microlens and the image performance of the MLAs have been studied in detail. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:36:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3f6f0538e9d84ad1b225a329dd45b0cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-666X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:36:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Micromachines |
| spelling | doaj.art-3f6f0538e9d84ad1b225a329dd45b0cf2023-11-24T14:56:24ZengMDPI AGMicromachines2072-666X2023-11-011411205510.3390/mi14112055An Ultraviolet-Lithography-Assisted Sintering Method for Glass Microlens Array FabricationFangyuan Zuo0Shenghua Ma1Wei Zhao2Chenqian Yang3Ziyu Li4Chen Zhang5Jintao Bai6State Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Xi’an 710127, ChinaInternational Collaborative Center on Photoelectric Technology and Nano Functional Materials, Xi’an 710127, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Xi’an 710127, ChinaInternational Collaborative Center on Photoelectric Technology and Nano Functional Materials, Xi’an 710127, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Xi’an 710127, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Xi’an 710127, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Photon-Technology in Western China Energy, Xi’an 710127, ChinaGlass microlens arrays (MLAs) have tremendous prospects in the fields of optical communication, sensing and high-sensitivity imaging for their excellent optical properties, high mechanical robustness and physicochemical stability. So far, glass MLAs are primarily fabricated using femtosecond laser modification assisted etching, in which the preparation procedure is time-consuming, with each concave-shaped microlens being processed using a femtosecond laser point by point. In this paper, a new method is proposed for implementing large-scale glass MLAs using glass particle sintering with the assistance of ultraviolet (UV) lithography. The glass particles are dispersed into the photoresist at first, and then immobilized as large-scaled micropillar arrays on quartz glass substrate using UV lithographing. Subsequently, the solidified photoresist is debinded and the glass particles are melted by means of sintering. By controlling the sintering conditions, the convex microlens will be self-assembled, attributed to the surface tension of the molten glass particles. Finally, MLAs with different focal lengths (0.12 to 0.2 mm) are successfully fabricated by utilizing different lithography masks. Meanwhile, we also present the optimization of the sintering parameter for eliminating the bubbles in the microlenses. The main factors that affect the focal length of the microlens and the image performance of the MLAs have been studied in detail.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/11/2055convex microlens arrayssinteringultraviolet lithographyglass particle |
| spellingShingle | Fangyuan Zuo Shenghua Ma Wei Zhao Chenqian Yang Ziyu Li Chen Zhang Jintao Bai An Ultraviolet-Lithography-Assisted Sintering Method for Glass Microlens Array Fabrication Micromachines convex microlens arrays sintering ultraviolet lithography glass particle |
| title | An Ultraviolet-Lithography-Assisted Sintering Method for Glass Microlens Array Fabrication |
| title_full | An Ultraviolet-Lithography-Assisted Sintering Method for Glass Microlens Array Fabrication |
| title_fullStr | An Ultraviolet-Lithography-Assisted Sintering Method for Glass Microlens Array Fabrication |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Ultraviolet-Lithography-Assisted Sintering Method for Glass Microlens Array Fabrication |
| title_short | An Ultraviolet-Lithography-Assisted Sintering Method for Glass Microlens Array Fabrication |
| title_sort | ultraviolet lithography assisted sintering method for glass microlens array fabrication |
| topic | convex microlens arrays sintering ultraviolet lithography glass particle |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-666X/14/11/2055 |
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