Spherical and Aspheric Microlenses Fabricated by Excimer Laser LIGA-like Process

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yung-Chun Lee ◽  
Chun-Ming Chen ◽  
Chun-Ying Wu

This paper presents an effective and low-cost method for fabricating spherical and aspheric microlenses based on excimer laser LIGA-like processes. It is based on a newly developed excimer laser micromachining technique that can accurately machine a 3D microstructure with a predetermined continuous surface profile. The method is called the planetary scanning method since it is based on a combination of sample rotation and revolution and a concept of laser machining probability. Spherical and aspheric microlenses with precise and smooth surface profiles are fabricated by direct laser machining on polymer materials. Laser-machined microlenses are replicated by electroforming to obtain inverse metal molds. Finally, plastic microlenses are replicated from these metal molds using hot embossing method. The profile accuracy and surface roughness of the produced microlenses at each stage have been measured and monitored. The average surface profile accuracy is better than 1μm and average surface roughness is less than 10nm. Optical performance of the fabricated microlenses is evaluated by measuring the light intensity distribution at the focal plane and the focal length. Experimental data show that the characteristics of fabricated spherical and aspheric microlenses are well matched to the theoretical predictions, which demonstrates the controllability and accuracy of this micromachining process. Potential applications and further developments will be addressed.

2006 ◽  
Vol 505-507 ◽  
pp. 67-72
Author(s):  
Yung Chun Lee ◽  
Chun Ying Wu

This paper presents a new method for fabricating 3D microstructures with an excimer laser micromachining system. A novel mask contour scanning method is developed for obtaining precise 3D microstructures with pre-described continuous surface profile. Two different microlenses with spherical and aspheric surfaces profiles with dimension less than 200 μm are fabricated on polycarbonate (PC) samples. The surface profiles are measured and compared with their theoretical counterparts. Excellent agreements both in profile shapes and dimensions are achieved. The surface roughness (Ra) of the machined surfaces is also measured and is less than 10 nm. The machining profile accuracy and surface smoothness of this proposed micromachining method show great potentials in fabricating micro-optic components such as aspheric microlenses or microlens arrays.


2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuh-Yi Wang ◽  
Chi-Sheng Huang ◽  
Hsau-Yu Chou ◽  
Tone-Yen Lee ◽  
Rang-Seng Chang

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krystian Wlodarczyk ◽  
Amiel Lopes ◽  
Paul Blair ◽  
M. Mercedes Maroto-Valer ◽  
Duncan P. Hand

We provide experimental evidence that the laser beam scanning strategy has a significant influence on material removal rate in the ultrafast laser machining of glass. A comparative study of two laser beam scanning methods, (i) bidirectional sequential scanning method (SM) and (ii) bidirectional interlaced scanning method (IM), is presented for micromachining 1.1-mm-thick borosilicate glass plates (Borofloat® 33). Material removal rate and surface roughness are measured for a range of pulse energies, overlaps, and repetition frequencies. With a pulse overlap of ≤90%, IM can provide double the ablation depth and double the removal rate in comparison to SM, whilst maintaining very similar surface roughness. In both cases, the root-mean-square (RMS) surface roughness (Sq) was in the range of 1 μm to 2.5 μm. For a 95% pulse overlap, the difference was more pronounced, with IM providing up to four times the ablation depth of SM; however, this is at the cost of a significant increase in surface roughness (Sq values >5 μm). The increased ablation depths and removal rates with IM are attributed to a layer-by-layer material removal process, providing more efficient ejection of glass particles and, hence, reduced shielding of the machined area. IM also has smaller local angles of incidence of the laser beam that potentially can lead to a better coupling efficiency of the laser beam with the material.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 168781402110118
Author(s):  
Zenan Chu ◽  
Tao Wang ◽  
Qiang He ◽  
Kai Zhao

To solve the problems of low processing efficiency and poor glass surface quality when using rare earth polishing powder to grind super-hard K9 glass. The potential, phase structure, surface morphology, and particle size distribution of the nano-rare earth polishing powder were characterized. Compare the evaluation indexes such as polishing efficiency, surface morphology, and contact angle after the polishing process is changed. The results of the comparative study show that the average surface roughness of the glass after heating ultrasonic polishing process is 0.9064 nm, the polishing rate reaches 0.748 μm/min, the average surface roughness of the glass without heating ultrasonic polishing process is 1.3175 nm, and the polishing rate reaches 0.586 μm/min, the ultrasonic assisted polishing process is superior to the conventional polishing process. The heating ultrasonic method provides experimental basis for precise and rapid processing.


Author(s):  
Sundar Marimuthu ◽  
Bethan Smith

This manuscript discusses the experimental results on 300 W picosecond laser machining of aerospace-grade nickel superalloy. The effect of the laser’s energetic and beam scanning parameters on the machining performance has been studied in detail. The machining performance has been investigated in terms of surface roughness, sub-surface thermal damage, and material removal rate. At optimal process conditions, a picosecond laser with an average power output of 300 W can be used to achieve a material removal rate (MRR) of ∼140 mm3/min, with thermal damage less than 20 µm. Shorter laser pulse widths increase the material removal rate and reduce the resultant surface roughness. High scanning speeds improve the picosecond laser machining performance. Edge wall taper of ∼10° was observed over all the picosecond laser machined slots. The investigation demonstrates that high-power picosecond lasers can be used for the macro-machining of industrial components at an acceptable speed and quality.


2008 ◽  
Vol 381-382 ◽  
pp. 407-410
Author(s):  
Shu Jie Liu ◽  
K. Watanabe ◽  
Satoru Takahashi ◽  
Kiyoshi Takamasu

In the semiconductor industry, a device that can measure the surface-profile of photoresist is needed. Since the photoresist surface is very smooth and deformable, the device is required to measure vertical direction with nanometer resolution and not to damage it at the measurement. We developed the apparatus using multi-cantilever and white light interferometer to measure the surface-profile of thin film. But, this system with scanning method suffers from the presence of moving stage and systematic sensor errors. So, in this paper, an error separation approach used coupled distance sensors, together with an autocollimator as an additional angle measuring device, was consulted the potentiality for self-calibration of multi-cantilever. Then, according to this method, we constructed the experimental apparatus and do the measurement on the resist film. The results demonstrated the feasibility that the constructed multi-ball-cantilever AFM system combined with an autocollimator could measure the thin film with high accuracy.


Author(s):  
MAHMUT ÇELIK ◽  
HAKAN GÜRÜN ◽  
ULAŞ ÇAYDAŞ

In this study, the effects of experimental parameters on average surface roughness and material removal rate (MRR) were experimentally investigated by machining of AISI 304 stainless steel plates by magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) method. In the study in which three different abrasive types were used (Al2O3, B4C, SiC), the abrasive grain size was changed in two different levels (50 and 80[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m), while the machining time was changed in three different levels (30, 45, 60[Formula: see text]min). Surface roughness values of finished surfaces were measured by using three-dimensional (3D) optical surface profilometer and surface topographies were created. MRRs were measured with the help of precision scales. The abrasive particles’ condition before and after the MAF process was examined and compared using a scanning electron microscope. As a result of the study, the surface roughness values of plates were reduced from 0.106[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m to 0.028[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. It was determined that the best parameters in terms of average surface roughness were 60[Formula: see text]min machining time with 50[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m B4C abrasives, while the best result in terms of MRR was taken in 30[Formula: see text]min with 50[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m SiC abrasives.


2014 ◽  
Vol 627 ◽  
pp. 29-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vichaya Thammasing ◽  
Somkiat Tangjitsitcharoen

The purpose of this research is to develop the models to predict the average surface roughness and the surface roughness during the in-process grinding by monitoring the cutting force ratio. The proposed models are developed based on the experimentally obtained results by employing the exponential function with four factors, which are the spindle speed, the feed rate, the depth of cut, and the cutting force ratio. The experimentally obtained results showed that the dimensionless cutting force ratio is usable to predict the surface roughness during the grinding process, which can be calculated and obtained by taking the ratio of the corresponding time records of the cutting force Fy in the spindle speed direction to that of the cutting force Fz in the radial wheel direction. The multiple regression analysis is utilized to calculate the regression coefficients with the use of the least square method at 95% confident level. The experimentally obtained models have been verified by the new cutting tests. It is proved that the developed surface roughness models can be used to predict the in-process surface roughness with the high accuracy of 93.9% for the average surface roughness and 92.8% for the surface roughness.


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