JP2009169140A - Optical element - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate manufacturing by solving overhang of a lens face in enlarging a vertical viewing angle produced with an optical element of a conventional lens array mode. <P>SOLUTION: The optical element is formed by aligning a refractive lens face 4 and a lens unit 10 having a nonaxisymmetric total reflection lens face 5 with a focus F in the vicinity of the lens surface center of the refractive lens face, wherein in the alignment, a plurality of kinds of lens units with mutually different main light beam directions 32 of the diffusion pencil of light beams 7 are mixed with one another. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical element, and more specifically, an optical element comprising a substrate (for example, a single film) and exhibiting a substantially constant top-hat diffusion characteristic regardless of an incident angle by a lens array formed on the substrate. It relates to an element.

As an optical element that exhibits a substantially constant top-hat diffusion characteristic regardless of the incident angle, the inventors have the following diffusion as a result of a lens array formed of only one film and formed only on one side of the film. A film was proposed (Patent Document 1).
(A1) Diffusion characterized in that it is a single film that diffuses and emits incident light, the diffusion being realized only by the surface shape, and having a substantially constant top-hat diffusion characteristic regardless of the incident angle. the film.

(A2) The diffusion film according to (A1), wherein the size of the incident angle region and the size of the outgoing diffusion angle region can be controlled independently of each other.
(A3) The diffusion film according to (A1) or (A2), wherein the angle in the center direction of the incident angle region and the angle in the center direction of the exit diffusion angle region can be controlled independently of each other.
(A4) The diffusion film according to any one of (A1) to (A3), wherein the surface shape on both the incident side and the emission side is a microlens array shape or a lenticular lens shape.

(A5) The size of the incident angle region and the size of the outgoing diffusion angle region are adjusted by adjusting the NA of the incident side microlens or lenticular lens and the NA of the outgoing side microlens or lenticular lens, respectively. The diffusion film as described in (A4), which can be controlled independently of each other.
(A6) The angle in the center direction of the incident angle region and the angle in the center direction of the exit diffusion angle region are the light in both the incident side microlens or lenticular lens and the exit side microlens or lenticular lens. The diffusion film as described in (A4) or (A5), wherein the diffusion film can be controlled independently of each other by adjusting an axis deviation amount and a selection range of partial shapes.

(A7) The diffusion film according to any one of (A4) to (A6), wherein a lens having an incident side microlens array shape or a lenticular lens shape is of a total reflection type.
(A8) A diffusion film obtained by coating a part of a lens surface having a microlens array shape or a lenticular lens shape on the incident side of the diffusion film according to any one of (A4) to (A6) with a reflection medium.

(A9) The diffusion film according to any one of (A1) to (A3), wherein a surface shape for realizing diffusion is formed only on one side of the film.
(A10) The surface shape that realizes diffusion formed only on one side of the film is an optical element array shape that combines a lens and a mirror, and is equivalent to the control described in any of (A4) to (A6) The diffusion film as described in (A9), which can be controlled.

  According to the diffusion film described in the above (A1) to (A10), the function required for the projection system screen can be realized only by the surface shape and by only one optical device, and high-resolution image display can be realized. It becomes possible. Further, since there is no scattering mechanism of fine particles or the like in the lens, a high contrast image display can be obtained. In addition, a uniform and wide viewing angle characteristic with a constant top-hat-like diffusion characteristic that does not depend on the incident angle is possible, and the size of the angle region and The ability to control the direction allows a wide range of applications in ultra-thin rear projection displays and the like.

FIG. 11 is a rear view (a) and a cross-sectional view (b) showing an example of a screen configured using the diffusion film described in (A10). A lens unit having an input side lens surface 21 composed of a spherical lens surface and a non-axial paraboloidal mirror 22 is two-dimensionally arranged on the back surface side of the diffusing film 3. A light beam incident on the input side lens surface 21 from the engine X at various different angles is reflected by the non-axial parabolic mirror 22 while passing through the film medium 11 along a path corresponding to the refractive index of the film medium 11. However, the light beam is designed to be emitted as a diffused light bundle having a top-hat-like diffused light intensity distribution within an outgoing light diffusion angle range in which the normal direction of the screen 20 is the principal light beam direction 32. Reference numeral 23 denotes a black mask and 24 denotes an antireflection film.
JP 2007-183498 A

  However, in the diffusion film described in (A10) above, the vertical viewing angle represented by the vertical one-dimensional direction component of the three-dimensional emission angle range of the diffused light bundle having the top-hat diffused light intensity distribution is ± 25 ° or more. When trying to manufacture what would become, it was found that there are the following difficulties (problems). The viewing angle in the specific direction (or the diffusion angle region or the diffusion characteristic) is an angle φ (≧ 0 ° counterclockwise with + or unsigned and clockwise with-), half the angle range of the diffuse beam bundle with respect to the principal ray direction (≧ 0 °, counterclockwise) (+,-Is added to the clockwise side) and represented by φ (or −φ) ± α. The above “± 25 ° or more” means that φ = 0 ° and α ≧ 25 ° in φ ± α.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 10, in order to form the lens unit 10 so that the vertical viewing angle is ± 25 ° using the film medium 11 having a refractive index n = 1.5, which is normally used, It is necessary to provide a portion of the reverse taper (overhang) 31, and the presence of the reverse taper 31 makes it very difficult to mold a lens array formed of a two-dimensional array of lens units 10 using a mold.

  If a material having a refractive index n = 1.6 or more is used as the film medium 11, the amount of the reverse taper 31 can be reduced, but it is difficult to eliminate the reverse taper 31. Further, a material with n = 1.6 or more is much more expensive than a material with n = 1.5, and has a disadvantage that it is difficult to process, resulting in high cost. Also, it is not easy to enlarge the left and right viewing angles.

The present invention made to solve the above problems is as follows.
(1) An optical element having an array of lens units on the main surface of a substrate,
The lens unit has a refractive lens surface that refracts incident light from the outside, and a non-axis total reflection lens surface that totally reflects the refracted incident light,
The non-axis total reflection type lens surface is a lens surface of a non-axis total reflection type lens having a focal point near the lens surface center of the refractive lens surface,
The lens unit array is an array in which a plurality of types of lens units having different principal ray directions of diffused light bundles diffused by being totally reflected by the non-axial total reflection lens surface are mixed. element.

(2) The optical element according to item (1), wherein the plurality of types of lens units are made of the following a.
(Class a) Those whose lens surfaces coincide with each other by rotation and parallel movement of the entire lens unit.

(3) The optical element according to item (1), wherein the plurality of types of lens units include the following b class, or the following a class and b class.
(Class a) Those whose lens surfaces coincide with each other by rotation and parallel movement of the entire lens unit.
(B) Those whose lens surfaces coincide with each other by rotating around the focal point of the non-axial total reflection type lens surface, changing the focal length (PFL: Parent Focal Length), and translating the entire lens unit.

(4) The optical element according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein a ratio of mixing the plurality of types of lens units varies depending on a position in a main surface of the substrate.
(5) The optical element according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein at least one of the lens units in the array has a different refractive index from the other.
(6) An optical element obtained by adding a black mask to the optical element described in any one of (1) to (5) above.

(7) The optical element according to item (6), wherein the black mask is formed in a region surrounded by a convex portion or a concave region.
(8) An optical element obtained by two-dimensionally arranging the optical elements described in any one of (1) to (7) above.
(9) In any one of the preceding items (1) to (8), a light absorbing layer, a reflective layer, and a diffusing layer are further formed on the main surface of the substrate opposite to the main surface on which the lens units are arranged. An optical element comprising at least one attached thereto.

By constructing a rear projection screen using the optical element of the present invention, it is possible to avoid overhang of the lens unit for a wide incident angle from large to small, while keeping the center of the visual field substantially constant, Not only can the viewing angle in the vertical direction be expanded, but also the viewing angle in the horizontal direction of the screen can be expanded.
Furthermore, according to the optical element of the present invention, it is applied to not only a rear projection screen, but also a liquid crystal display device or other type of display device, a solar cell light guide plate, an architectural light guide plate, an illumination diffuser plate, and the like. Is also possible.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a lens unit used in the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the example. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lens unit 10 is formed on one main surface of two main surfaces of a substrate (hereinafter referred to as a film) 2, and receives incident light 6 from the outside. A refracting lens surface 4 to be refracted and a non-axial total reflection lens surface 5 to totally reflect the refracted incident light.

The non-axis total reflection type lens surface 5 is a lens surface of a non-axis total reflection type lens having a focal point F near the center 8 of the lens surface of the refraction type lens surface 4 (see FIG. 2). Here, the vicinity of the lens surface center of a certain lens surface means a position where the distance from the lens surface center of the lens surface is 50% or less of the radius of a circle having the same area as the entire lens surface of the lens surface. .
In the example of FIG. 1, a non-axial paraboloid is used as the non-axial total reflection type lens surface 5. This non-axial paraboloid is expressed in the standard form y = (1 / (4f)) x ² in the Oxy coordinate system in which the point O as shown is the origin and the xy coordinate of the point F is (0, f). It is a part of a figure (rotating paraboloid) formed by rotating a parabola around the y axis. The focal length f of the parabola (the length of the line segment OF) becomes the on-axis focal length (PFL: Parent Focal Length) of the non-axial total reflection type lens surface 5, and the center of the non-axial total reflection type lens surface 5 from the focal point F. The distance to C (the length of the line segment CF) is the off-axis focal length (REFL: Reflected Effective Focal Length) of the non-axis total reflection lens surface 5.

The non-axial total reflection lens surface 5 is not limited to the non-axial paraboloid, but the focal point (the point at which incident light parallel to the axis (rotation center axis) of the non-axial total reflection lens surface is totally reflected and condensed). Any curved surface may be used as long as it has a total reflection condition.
However, from the viewpoints of design and manufacturability, it can be said that the form in which the non-axial total reflection type lens surface is the above-mentioned rotational paraboloid shape is the best form. Therefore, this form will be described below as an example.

The refracting lens surface 4 is configured so that an incident light bundle 6 incident on the lens unit 10 from the vicinity of the focal point F is condensed at almost one point in the non-axial total reflection lens surface 5 under a predetermined refractive index condition. Designed. This condensed light is totally reflected by the non-axis total reflection type lens surface 5 and becomes a diffused light bundle 7 having a principal ray direction 32 parallel to the y axis.
Such a lens unit 10 itself is the same as that used in the screen of FIG. 11, and even if the incident angle of light on the refractive lens surface 4 changes, the same top-hat diffused light intensity distribution from the film 2 is obtained. The optical characteristic is that the principal ray direction 32 of the diffused light bundle 7 that is emitted does not change. However, the screen shown in FIG. 11 has a drawback that the above-described overhang 31 (FIG. 10) occurs when the vertical viewing angle is increased to some extent.

In the present invention, instead of arranging a single type of lens unit in which the principal ray direction 32 of the diffused light bundle is homologous as shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of types of lens units having different principal ray directions of the diffused light bundle are used. The above problems were overcome by arranging them in a mixed manner.
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of the present invention. Three different types (type A, B, C) of lens units 10A, 10B, 10C are arranged on one side of the film 2. All have refractive lens surfaces 4A, 4B, 4C and non-axial total reflection lens surfaces 5A, 5B, 5C each having a focal point near the center of each lens surface of the refractive lens surfaces 4A, 4B, 4C. However, the principal ray directions 32A, 32B, and 32C of the diffused ray bundles emitted from the film 2 with substantially the same top-hat diffused light intensity distribution are different. As a result, while maintaining the vertical viewing angle of each type of lens unit in a small angle range that does not cause overhang, the total vertical viewing angle of all three types is expanded to almost three times the small angle range of each type. Is possible.

For example, as shown in Fig. 3, type A is a type with vertical viewing angle ≒ -30 ° ± 15 °, type B is a type with vertical viewing angle ≒ (0 °) ± 15 °, and type C is vertical viewing angle ≒ 30 °. By setting the type to be ± 15 °, the total vertical viewing angle of all three types can be set to ± 45 °.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of types of lens units have the same maximum height from the film surface so that the incident conditions on the individual are uniform, and the incident light path from the maximum height portion. It is preferable that the interface toward the downstream side is located at a position lower than the incident light flux to be directed to the lens unit on the downstream side at a predetermined incident angle (angle of incident light with respect to the film surface normal). For this purpose, an inclined plane (top inclined plane) having an inclination angle (inclination angle with respect to the film surface normal) equal to or less than the predetermined incident angle may be formed on the top of the lens unit as necessary. The lens unit 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is an example having such a top inclined plane 30. The top inclined plane does not correspond to the lens surface.

The number of types of the plurality of types of lens units used for the arrangement on one side of the film is three in the example of FIG. 3, but is not limited thereto, and may be two or four or more.
A plurality of types of lens units having different principal ray directions of the diffused light bundles can be configured by those whose lens surfaces coincide with each other (referred to as class a) by rotation and parallel movement of the entire lens unit.

  In the present invention, “lens surface” when “the lens surfaces of each other match” refers to both a refractive lens surface and a non-axial total reflection lens surface, and “matches” means one type of lens surface. This means that the lens surface and the other type of lens surface overlap each other without a gap, and in this overlapped state, there may be a deviation between the boundary between one type of lens surface and the boundary between other types of lens surfaces. Further, a portion that is not a lens surface does not necessarily have to match.

In order to increase the vertical viewing angle, the axis of rotation of the lens unit as a whole in class a is an axis perpendicular to the vertical direction and the normal direction of the film surface as shown in FIG. It is preferably used as 40.
An example of class a (when the number of types = 2) is shown in FIG. FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory views showing an example of the formation procedure of the a-type lens unit, where FIG. 4A is a lens unit used for an optical element of a comparative example, and FIGS. 4B and 4C are optical elements of the present invention example. A type 1 a type (abbreviated a1 type, hereinafter the same notation is used) and a2 type lens unit. Although the lens unit 1 for the comparative example is designed so that the diffusion angle region is ± θ, an overhang 31 is generated, and a portion of the incident light bundle 6 via the overhang portion (hatched portion; referred to as an overhang region). Is difficult to satisfy the total reflection condition with the non-axis total reflection type lens surface 5, and therefore, the overhang region (diffusion angle region = −θ / 2 ± θ / 2) portion of the diffused light bundle 7 is difficult to realize.

On the other hand, a1 type lens unit 10 ₁ is shaped to remove the overhang area from the lens unit 1 for comparative examples, sharing a diffusion angle region = + θ / 2 ± θ / 2 , excluding the overhang region Yes.
The a2 type lens unit 10 ₂ is formed by rotating the entire a1 type lens unit 10 ₁ by −θ around the diffusion characteristic up / down shift rotating shaft 40 (see FIG. 6). This rotational direction is a rotational direction in which no overhang occurs. In the case of a, the diffusion characteristic up / down shifting rotary shaft 40 does not necessarily pass through the focal point F.

As described above, the a1 type and the a2 type mixed in the array are those in which the lens surfaces coincide with each other by the rotation and translation of the entire lens unit, and the principal ray direction of the diffused light is different. Yes.
Along with the rotation of the a1 type to a2 type, since the rotated likewise - [theta] diffusion light beam 7, a2 type lens unit 10 ₂ is to share the diffusion angle region = -θ / 2 ± θ / 2 sell. Combined with the a1 type share (diffusion angle region = + θ / 2 ± θ / 2), a diffusion angle region = ± θ that cannot be realized in the comparative example can be realized in the present invention. The same applies when the number of types is three or more.

In addition, a plurality of types of lens units having different principal ray directions of the diffusing ray bundles can rotate each other by rotating around the focal point of the non-axial total reflection lens surface, changing the axial focal length PFL, and translating the entire lens unit. It can also be configured with lenses having the same lens surface (referred to as class b).
Unlike class a (rotating the entire lens unit), class b rotates only the non-axial total reflection lens surface, so that the focus of the lens does not deviate from the vicinity of the center of the lens surface of the refractive lens surface. Should rotate around the focus. It is preferable to use a diffusion characteristic up / down shift rotating shaft 40 (see FIG. 6) as the rotation center axis of rotation around the focal point in order to shift the diffusion characteristic in the vertical direction.

  An example of class b (when the number of types = 3) is shown in FIG. FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory views showing an example of the formation procedure of the b-type lens unit used in the optical element of the present invention example. FIG. 5A is a b0 type, FIG. 5B is a b1 type, and FIG. 5C is a b2 type. Lens unit. In the b0 to b2 types, the refractive lens surface 4 is homologous and there is no overhang. In the b0 type, the principal ray direction 32 of the diffused light 7 is the normal direction (0 ° direction) of the film surface, and the non-axial total reflection lens surface for the incident light bundle 6 under a given refractive index condition (n = 1.5). Assume that the total reflection condition of 5 is barely satisfied.

The b0-type non-axial total reflection type lens surface 5 is rotated by -θ around the rotation axis 40 (see FIG. 6) for the diffusion characteristic up / down shift passing through the focal point F (0, f) to rotate the diffusion angle region clockwise. Is shifted to the upstream side of the light path from the condensing point P, the angle of incidence on the non-axis total reflection lens surface 5 is below the critical angle, and barely before rotation. The satisfied total reflection condition is not satisfied and the vertical viewing angle cannot be expanded. Therefore, the axial focal length PFL is changed from f to f ₁ (> f). As a result, the non-axial total reflection type lens surface 5 changes to a shape passing through the vicinity of the condensing point P (y = (1 / (4f)) x ² → (1 / (4f ₁ )) x ² ) Under the condition, the b1 type in which the principal ray direction 32 of the diffused light 7 is rotated by −θ from the 0 ° direction is obtained.

Further, the b0-type non-axial total reflection type lens surface 5 is rotated by + θ around the diffusion characteristic up-and-down shift rotation axis 40 (see FIG. 6) passing through the focal point F (0, f), so that the diffusion angle region is reversed. When trying to shift in the clockwise direction, the non-axial total reflection lens surface 5 moves to the downstream side of the light path from the condensing point P, and the diffusion angle becomes small because the diffused light is reflected by the concave mirror. The vertical viewing angle cannot be expanded. Therefore, the axial focal length PFL is changed from f to f ₂ (<f). As a result, the non-axial total reflection type lens surface 5 changes to a shape that passes near the condensing point P (y = (1 / (4f)) x ² → (1 / (4f ₂ )) x ² ) Under the condition, a b2 type in which the principal ray direction 32 of the diffused light 7 is rotated by + θ from the 0 ° direction is obtained.

As described above, the b0 type, the b1 type, and the b2 type mixed in the array are mutually rotated by rotating around the focal point of the non-axial total reflection lens surface, changing the axial focal length PFL, and translating the entire lens unit. The lens surfaces coincide with each other, the principal ray directions of the diffused light are different, and the diffusion angle region can be expanded as a total.
Further, in the present invention, in addition to the expansion of the vertical viewing angle, the left and right viewing angles can be shared by different types of lens units and can be expanded as a total. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the axis perpendicular to the horizontal direction and the normal direction of the film surface is used as the rotation axis 50 for the diffusion characteristic left / right shift, and the diffusion characteristic up / down shift is performed as the rotation in types a and b. Rotation around rotating shaft 40 and diffusion characteristics When rotation around rotating shaft 50 for right and left shifting (referred to as biaxial rotation up and down, left and right) is adopted, it is made different by rotation around rotating shaft 50 for diffusion characteristics left and right shift. This is because different diffusion angle regions can be shared between the right and left directions, and the left and right viewing angles can be expanded as a whole.

FIG. 7 shows an example of _two different types of lens units 10 ₁ and 10 ₂ divided by biaxial rotation in the vertical direction and the right and left directions in class a. The lens unit 10 ₁ and the lens unit 10 _2, the rotation homologous rotating, rotation reciprocal rotation around the rotary shaft 50 for diffusion properties lateral shift around the diffusion properties vertically shifting the rotary shaft 40, cut unnecessary portions Are synthesized.
Needless to say, when only the left and right viewing angles are to be enlarged, rotation only around the rotation axis 50 for the diffusion characteristic right and left shift may be adopted as rotation in the classes a and b.

Further, if necessary, in addition to rotation around the rotation axis 40 for the diffusion characteristic up / down shift or biaxial rotation up / down / left / right orthogonal, the rotation axis 40 for the diffusion characteristic up / down shift and the rotation axis 50 for the diffusion characteristic left / right shift are orthogonal to each other. A rotation around an axis (an axis parallel to the normal direction of the film surface) may be adopted to rotate the principal ray direction of the diffused light.
In the present invention, a plurality of types of a and a plurality of types of b may be mixed and arranged.

  Next, an arrangement of a plurality of types of lens units will be described. FIG. 8 shows an example of arrangement of four different types of lens units (type A, B, C, D) in which the diffusion characteristics are shifted in the vertical direction in class a, and (a) shows a plurality of types. The arrangement form in which the mixing ratio is constant regardless of the position in the film plane, and (b) is an arrangement form in which the mixing ratios of a plurality of types differ depending on the position in the film plane.

  In the arrangement form in which the mixing ratio of a plurality of types is constant regardless of the position in the film plane, the same type (same type) does not line up next to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions as shown in FIG. Such an arrangement form emphasizes the randomness and uniformity in the direction of the principal ray of the diffused light, but the lens shape is gentle at the joint between adjacent different types (for example, between type A and D or between type B and C). Because it is not connected, stray light tends to occur.

On the other hand, in the arrangement form in which the mixture ratios of a plurality of types differ depending on the position in the film plane, the same type may be arranged in a row in either the top, bottom, left, or right direction as shown in FIG. Therefore, by arranging the same type in the adjacent direction, the lens shapes between the adjacent types can be connected gently, and the generation of stray light can be avoided.
When the rear projection screen is constituted by the optical element of the present invention, for example, there are 20 × 10 = 200 micro optical systems (corresponding to the lens unit according to the present invention) of 50 μm × 50 μm in a pixel area of 1 mm × 1 mm. In that case, even in the arrangement form as shown in FIG. 8 (b), there are four types A, B, C, and D evenly in the 4 × 4 small arrangement regardless of the position in the film plane. Sex does not get worse enough to be a problem. Therefore, in the present invention, it is preferable to place importance on avoiding stray light so that the mixture ratio of a plurality of types of lens units varies depending on the position in the film plane.

FIG. 9 shows an example of an arrangement form in which a lens unit of a type different from that of FIG. In the figure, for example typeA ⁺ and typeA ^- and is a reciprocal direction rotating type comprising around diffusion properties lateral shifting rotary shaft 50 (see FIG. 6) the typeA (B, C, also applies to D) .
In the present invention, as described above, by arranging a plurality of types of lens units having different principal ray directions of diffused light under the same material condition with a refractive index n ≦ 1.5, an optical element is avoided while avoiding an overhang. It is possible to widen the vertical viewing angle (or even the left and right viewing angle).

  However, the present invention uses a material having a refractive index of n> 1.5 as a material of a lens unit to be disposed locally when a wider vertical viewing angle is required in any part of the film plane. It does not prevent it. This is because, even if such a high refractive index material is used locally, disadvantages in manufacturing such as difficult processability and high cost are not a problem. In addition, it is not necessary that the refractive indexes of the lens units are all the same even within the range of refractive index n ≦ 1.5.

Accordingly, in the present invention described in any one of the above items (1) to (4), the lens unit in which at least one of the lens units in the array has a different refractive index from the other is also included in the scope of the present invention. Corresponding to invention item (5)].
In addition, according to the means of different refractive indexes described above (item (5) of the present invention), the diffusion characteristic difference that affects the viewing angle between the central portion and the corner portion, particularly in terms of lens performance, in a large screen. Is too large, partially using materials having different refractive indexes for the lens unit and the substrate and making the direction of the light beam uniform makes it possible to improve the performance in the direction of eliminating the difference in diffusion characteristics.

Next, a manufacturing process for manufacturing the optical element according to any one of the items (1) to (5) of the present invention will be described by taking as an example a case where this is used for a high-definition rear projection screen. An example of this manufacturing process is shown in FIG. In this example, a lens sheet having the lens unit arrangement pattern shown in FIG. 9 on the main surface of the substrate was created.
In this example, first, in order to manufacture a high-definition rear projection screen, a resist 13 (positive resist in this example) is applied to a 100 mm square glass substrate 12 with a thickness of about 60 μm and dried on a hot plate. (FIG. 12 (a)). The dried substrate is subjected to exposure with continuous gradation so that a target lens shape can be obtained, exposed to the resist 13, and then developed, and the resist of the microlens 14 having a height of about 50 μm. A matrix was obtained (FIG. 12 (b)).

Next, this resist matrix was dipped in a plating bath, electroless nickel plating was performed to form a seed layer, and then a mold substrate (plating mold) 15 having a thickness of about 300 μm was obtained by electrolytic plating (FIG. 12 ( c)).
A transparent acrylic resin (ultraviolet curable resin (PMMA) 16) having a refractive index of 1.5 is poured into a concave portion corresponding to the lens portion of the obtained mold substrate 15, and a base film (in this example) which becomes a lens substrate PET film) was sandwiched between 2A and placed in a vacuum container to remove bubbles remaining in the resin. Thereafter, ultraviolet rays were irradiated from the substrate side with an ultraviolet lamp 17 to cure the acrylic resin (FIG. 12 (d)).

After that, when peeled off from the plating mold 15, an integrated lens sheet in which an array of lenses (lens unit 10) of several tens of μm is bonded to a PET film as a substrate [any one of the items (1) to (5) of the present invention] (Corresponding to the optical element described in 1)] was obtained (FIG. 12 (e)).
In the example of FIG. 12, a PET film made of resin is used as the substrate. However, the substrate is not limited to this, and other resin films or glass plates that transmit light and obtain the desired optical characteristics are used as the substrate. It may be used. Of course, the lens unit and the substrate may be integrally formed of a lens resin.

In the present invention, when the optical element described in any one of the items (1) to (5) of the present invention is used as a screen, a black mask (hereinafter referred to as BM) is used to reduce the adverse effect of external light. It is preferable to add the above (corresponding to item (6) of the present invention).
However, the BM desirably covers the BM region set on the substrate without excess or deficiency, and for that purpose, the BM is formed in a region surrounded by convex portions provided on the substrate or a concave region. Is preferable (corresponding to item (7) of the present invention).

  FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the BM formation process, and FIG. 14 is a plan view taken along the line AA in FIG. In this example, a predetermined region (region where BM is to be formed) on the substrate 2 on which the lens unit 10 is formed is surrounded by a BM weir 18 provided as a convex portion (FIGS. 13A and 14), An ultraviolet curable BM ink 19 is injected into the enclosed region by an ink jet apparatus (FIG. 13B), and is allowed to stand and level (level) (FIG. 13C). Thereafter, the BM ink 19 is cured by irradiating the BM ink 19 with ultraviolet rays. The positioning accuracy at the time of ink injection is improved by the BM weir 18, and the leveling accuracy is also improved by the height of the weir. Therefore, the BM formation accuracy (position and thickness accuracy) is improved. Furthermore, a high-precision injection control function is not necessary, which can contribute to a reduction in the price of the ink jet apparatus. Further, the same effect can be obtained as a recessed area instead of the area surrounded by the protruding portion such as the BM weir 18.

In the example of FIG. 13, the BM is provided on the main surface of the substrate on the same side as the lens unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the main surface of the substrate opposite to the lens unit or between the lens unit and the substrate ( A BM may be provided in FIG.
Further, depending on the purpose, a substrate having reflection characteristics can also be used. In this case, in addition to the resin and the glass plate, a resin film on which a metal or a metal (for example, aluminum, silver, etc.) is vapor-deposited, a glass substrate, silicon, or a ceramic substrate on which a reflective layer is formed can be used.

  By adopting the reflection type, a front projection type screen rather than a rear projection type such as rear projection can be realized, and it can be applied to a type of screen that is wound in a roll shape and stored on the ceiling. In addition, it is not necessary to reflect all the light, it is partially reflected, diffused, refracted, diffracted, selectively reflected depending on the wavelength, stripes and halftone patterns created on the substrate and lens parts It is also possible to use a light-blocking or light-reducing function (light absorption layer or diffusion layer) [corresponding to the optical element described in item (9) of the present invention].

  FIG. 17 shows an example of an optical element described in item (9) of the present invention. In this example, in addition to the optical element (having the lens unit 10 and BM23) created using the manufacturing process illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the reflective layer 27 and the main surface of the substrate 2 on the side opposite to the lens unit are also provided. A reflective optical element is provided by providing BM23. The reflection layer 27 is configured such that the surface facing the substrate 2 is the reflection surface 27A.

  Further, according to the above-described dimming and dimming function, when the optical element of the present invention is applied to the rear projection screen, the amount of light emitted from the screen by the BM or the like is changed depending on the place in the screen surface. It is possible to improve unevenness in the amount of light between the central portion and the corner portion that may occur in a screen having a form using lens units having the same shape. As a result, when a large size is used, a different lens shape may be required to reduce the difference in light quantity between the center and corners of the screen. The light amount unevenness can be improved by a method (such as a method of adding a dimming pattern to the substrate or a method of stacking a sheet having a different dimming pattern on the substrate).

In addition, when this screen is used as a safety sign or a reflector for a liquid crystal backlight, a uniform irradiation surface can be obtained by locally changing the reflection characteristics within a large surface. This can be realized by methods such as changing the lens shape, changing the material depending on the location, or changing the performance of the substrate with the same lens shape.
The reflective layer can be formed, for example, by adding a reflective layer forming step in the lens sheet creating step as shown in FIG. 12, but instead of using it, it is overlapped with the lens sheet at the time of use by pressure welding, pressure bonding, adhesion, etc. It may be integrated. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which only overlapped, without integrating. These points apply not only to the reflective layer but also to the light absorption layer and the diffusion layer. These layers may further have optical characteristics for correcting the color components of the light source.

In-plane patterns that locally change the optical properties of reflection, absorption, and diffusion include island-shaped isolated patterns, partially connected isolated patterns, no isolated patterns, continuous patterns, single strokes, etc. But you can. In some cases, a mixture of transmission and reflection characteristics may be used.
In the example of FIG. 12, the lens unit is formed on a substrate different from the lens material. However, when the lens unit is cured without using the substrate, the same resin as the lens or a different resin is poured into the mold. A substrate portion may be made. In this case, the resin filling into the mold is a method in which a plurality of nozzles are filled with a plurality of resins, a plurality of molds are used, and the lenses formed by the respective molds obstruct each other. A lens with a target structure when a single sheet-like microlens is obtained by filling a mold having a concave portion with one type of resin so as not to become a single sheet-like microlens. It may be formed by a plurality of resins.

In addition, in order to realize the optical functions required for the reflection and transmission required for the substrate, a lens different from the substrate and lens portions having those functions is added (mixed or overlapped) to the resin before curing. You may make a sheet.
Of course, in order to expand the effective usable range of the optical properties of the lens sheet, a part of the sheet (selective to a lens having a part of the shape in the lens unit, to a part of the range such as the entire periphery of the sheet In addition, materials having different optical characteristics such as refractive index, reflectance, and wavelength selection may be added to the lens of the combination of shape and range, etc., and cured to improve physical characteristics such as optical characteristics. It is also possible to partially use resins having different colors within the above range.

In addition, the lens part and the substrate part of the molded lens sheet are partially transmissive / reflective, transmissive / reflective in a selective range, and selectively transmissive / reflective depending on the wavelength. It is also possible to add an object having a characteristic shielded by a pattern such as a stripe pattern or a halftone dot pattern.
In the example of FIG. 12, a resin microlens of 100 μm or less is created as the lens unit, but the lens material may be glass or other materials as long as it can control light. Furthermore, as long as the structure can obtain the same optical characteristics, the size of the lens unit may be larger, for example, from several millimeters to several tens of centimeters.

  Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, the optical element according to any one of the items (1) to (7) of the present invention (in this example, the optical element having the lens unit arrangement form shown in FIG. 9 is used). Since the lens sheet 25 has a feature that light beams from different angles can be diffused in a certain direction, the same lens sheet is joined in a tile shape (two-dimensionally arranged), and a large size sheet (lens of the lens sheet) It is also possible to obtain a joint-like body 26) [corresponding to item (8) of the present invention]. As a result, the same lens sheet can be used, and various sizes can be handled at low cost.

  In addition to the normal lattice pattern illustrated in FIG. 15, the tile-shaped joint pattern has, for example, a staggered pattern as illustrated in FIG. 16, and X and Y directions (horizontal direction) to make the joints and unevenness inconspicuous. The pattern may be shifted in the vertical direction) or may be curved so that the joint surface is not noticeable. It is also possible to make a joint inconspicuous by using a part for creating a BM.

  The optical element according to the present invention item (9) is the main element on the side opposite to the lens unit of the substrate of the optical element (individual lens sheet) according to any one of the present invention items (1) to (7). Although it may be created by attaching at least one of a light absorption layer, a reflection layer, and a diffusion layer on the surface, from the viewpoint of manufacturing efficiency, the optical element according to the item (8) of the present invention (for example, FIG. 15). Or a tile-sheet joined body 26) of a lens sheet as shown in FIG. 16 is prepared by attaching at least one of a light absorption layer, a reflection layer, and a diffusion layer to the main surface on the side opposite to the lens unit of the substrate. It is more preferable.

When the light diffusion characteristics were actually measured with a conoscope for the lens sheet prototyped in the same manufacturing process example illustrated and described in FIG. 12, the part finished in the lens surface shape as designed was the target. Optical properties were shown.
Further, a stripe BM is formed on the main surface of the lens sheet on the side opposite to the lens unit by a process according to the example of the BM formation process illustrated and described in FIG. As a result of projecting an image from the lens unit side and visually observing this image from the surface on the BM side, it was possible to visually recognize an image having excellent contrast as compared with the lens sheet without BM.

It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows an example of the lens unit used for this invention. It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram showing an example of a lens unit used in the present invention. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows one example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the formation point of a lens unit of a class. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the formation procedure of b lens unit. It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram which shows the example of the method of taking the rotating shaft of rotation which divides a lens unit into a several different type. It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram which shows the example of the kind of lens unit made different by the up-down and right-and-left orthogonal 2 axis rotation. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the arrangement | sequence form of several different types of lens units, (a) is an arrangement | sequence form with which the mixture ratio of a some kind is constant irrespective of the position in a film surface, (b) is several It is an arrangement form in which the mixing ratio of types varies depending on the position in the film plane. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example of the arrangement | sequence form which added the lens unit of the kind which was made to differ by FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the difficulty in background art. It is the rear view (a) and sectional drawing (b) which show an example of the screen comprised using the diffusion film as described in (A10). It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows an example of the manufacturing process suitable for manufacture of the optical element which concerns on this invention. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows an example of BM formation process. It is an AA arrow top view of FIG. It is a plane schematic diagram which shows an example of the optical element which concerns on this invention term (8). It is a plane schematic diagram which shows another example of the optical element which concerns on this-invention item (8). It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows an example of the optical element which concerns on this invention term (9). It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows another example of the optical element which concerns on this invention term (9).

Explanation of symbols

2 Substrate (eg film)
2A Base film 3 Diffusing film 4 Refractive lens surface 5 Non-axial total reflection lens surface 6 Incident light (incident light bundle)
7 Diffuse light (diffuse beam)
8 Near the center of the lens surface
10 Lens unit
11 Film media
12 Glass substrate
13 resist
14 Microlens
15 Mold substrate (plating mold)
16 UV curable resin (PMMA)
17 Base film (PET, etc.)
18 BM weir
19 BM ink
20 screens
21 Input lens surface
22 Reflective surface of non-axis parabolic mirror
23 BM
24 Anti-reflective coating
25 Lens sheet
26 Tile joint of lens sheet
27 Reflective layer
27A Reflective surface
30 Top inclined plane
31 Reverse taper (overhang)
32 Principal ray direction
40 Diffusion characteristics Rotating shaft for vertical shift
50 Diffusion characteristics Rotating shaft for left / right shift

Claims (9)

An optical element having an array of lens units on the main surface of a substrate,
The lens unit has a refractive lens surface that refracts incident light from the outside, and a non-axis total reflection lens surface that totally reflects the refracted incident light,
The non-axis total reflection type lens surface is a lens surface of a non-axis total reflection type lens having a focal point near the lens surface center of the refractive lens surface,
The lens unit array is an array in which a plurality of types of lens units having different principal ray directions of diffused light bundles diffused by being totally reflected by the non-axial total reflection lens surface are mixed. element. The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of lens units include the following a.
(Class a) Those whose lens surfaces coincide with each other by rotation and parallel movement of the entire lens unit. 2. The optical element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of lens units include the following b class or the following a class and b class.
(Class a) Those whose lens surfaces coincide with each other by rotation and parallel movement of the entire lens unit.
(B) Those whose lens surfaces coincide with each other by rotating around the focal point of the non-axial total reflection type lens surface, changing the focal length (PFL: Parent Focal Length), and translating the entire lens unit.   The optical element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a ratio of mixing the plurality of types of lens units varies depending on an in-plane position of the substrate.   The optical element according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the lens units in the array has a refractive index different from the others.   An optical element obtained by adding a black mask to the optical element according to claim 1.   The optical element according to claim 6, wherein the black mask is formed in a region surrounded by a convex portion or a concave region.   An optical element formed by two-dimensionally arranging the optical elements according to any one of claims 1 to 7.   9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a light absorption layer, a reflection layer, and a diffusion layer is further attached to a main surface of the substrate opposite to the main surface on which the lens units are arranged. An optical element characterized by comprising:

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