JPH07234303A - Optical device, material for optical device and production of optical device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an optical device which realizes a desired surface shape with good accuracy. CONSTITUTION:The transfer material 22 and device material 21 of the material 20 for the optical device obtd. by forming >=1 curved surface shapes onto a surface having the prescribed curvature of the device material 21 from the transfer material 22 transferred with a transfer surface shape from a forming mold formed with the prescribed curved surface shape as the transfer surface shape are subjected to anisotropic physical etching, by which the surface shape of the transfer material 22 is inscribed and transferred to the device material 21 and the optical device 2A is obtd.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical device, a material for an optical device, and a method for manufacturing an optical device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A special surface shape represented by an aspherical surface has come to be used for lenses and mirrors. It is not easy to create a special surface shape such as an aspherical surface by mechanical polishing, and it is often manufactured by a molding process using a mold.

For this reason, for example, most lenses having an aspherical refracting surface are manufactured as plastic molded products using a plastic material, and there is a problem that there is little room for material selection.

The "glass pressing method" is known as a technique for creating a desired surface shape on a glass surface by using a mold, but the mold used has a high temperature (6
(50 degrees or more) ・ It must withstand high pressure and must also be resistant to oxidation at high temperatures. Therefore, the mold material is limited to special metals and ceramics. Such a special material is very difficult to process the mold, and in addition, in order to add oxidation resistance, Si ₃ N ₄ , SiC, Au,
It is necessary to form a thin film of Pt or the like.

For this reason, the "mold" used in the glass pressing method is high in cost and used at high temperature and high pressure, so that the "life as a mold" is not so good even though the material is selected. Not long.

On the other hand, as a method of creating a refracting surface or a reflecting surface without using molding or polishing, a layer of photoresist is formed on the surface of an optical material, and this layer is patterned into, for example, a circle or an ellipse, Then, the layer is heated, the surface of the photoresist is formed into a curved surface by thermal flow of the photoresist, and thereafter, anisotropic etching is performed on the photoresist and the optical material to remove the photoresist surface. A method of engraving a curved surface shape on an optical material has been proposed (for example, JP-A-5-173003: Claim 16).

This method is suitable as a method for forming a refracting surface of a microlens, but it is not always easy to control the surface shape generated on the photoresist surface by heating, and it is possible to form a curved surface exactly as intended. Is difficult.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a novel optical device having a desired surface shape accurately (claims 12 and 13). .

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel optical device manufacturing method capable of easily and reliably manufacturing an optical device having a desired surface shape (claim 11).

Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical device material used in the above-mentioned optical device manufacturing method (claims 1 to 10).

[0011]

An optical device material according to a first aspect of the present invention is configured by forming one or more convex curved surface shapes by a transfer material on a planar surface of the device material. "Device material" is the material that will eventually become an optical device,
The invention according to claim 1 has the "planar surface" as described above. The “one or more convex curved surface shapes” are transferred and formed on a transfer material using a “molding die” having a concave curved surface shape corresponding to a predetermined convex curved surface shape.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical device material in which one or more curved surface shapes are formed by a transfer material on a "surface having a predetermined curvature" in the device material. The "surface having a predetermined curvature" is not limited to a spherical surface, and may be a cylinder surface (maximum curvature and minimum curvature: 0 is uniquely determined), a spheroidal surface, or the like. The one or more “curved surface shapes” are formed by transferring the transfer surface shape to a transfer material from a mold having a predetermined curved surface shape as the transfer surface shape.

As the "device material" in the optical device material according to claim 2, a "sphere" or a "cylindrical body" can be used (claim 3), or "a material formed into a lens shape". Can be used (Claim 4). The lens shape in this case is not limited to the spherical lens shape, and may be a cylinder lens shape or a toroidal lens shape.

The optical device material according to claim 5 is:
Transfer the above from a "molding die formed with a predetermined curved surface shape as the transfer surface shape" to the planar part of the device material that is "a shape where a part of the sphere is processed into a flat surface and a part of the sphere is cut with a flat surface" The transfer material having the transferred surface shape is formed into a curved surface shape. In this case, another curved surface shape (transferred from another mold) can be formed by the transfer material also on the spherical surface-shaped portion of the device material opposite to the above-mentioned planar portion.

The optical device material according to claim 6 is:
At least one planar portion of the device material in which "a part of the sphere is processed into a flat surface, and a part of the sphere is cut by a pair of parallel flat surfaces", "a predetermined curved surface shape as a transfer surface shape" A curved surface is formed by the transfer material having the transfer surface shape transferred from the formed mold. In the optical device material according to the sixth aspect, when a curved surface shape is formed by the transfer material on each of the pair of planar portions, both curved surface shapes may be the same or different.

The optical device material according to claim 7 is:
"A predetermined curved surface shape was formed as the transfer surface shape" on the flat part of the device material which was "the peripheral surface of the cylindrical body was machined flat and a part of the cylindrical body was cut by a plane parallel to the axis" A curved surface is formed by the transfer material having the above-mentioned transfer surface shape transferred from the “mold”. In this case, another curved surface shape (transferred from another mold) can be formed by the transfer material also on the cylindrical surface-shaped portion of the device material on the side opposite to the flat portion.

The optical device material according to claim 8 is:
At least one planar portion of the device material in which the peripheral surface portion of the cylindrical body is processed into a flat surface, and a part of the cylindrical body is cut along a pair of planes parallel to the axis and parallel to each other,
The transfer material having the transfer surface shape transferred from the "mold having a predetermined curved surface shape as the transfer surface shape" forms a curved surface shape. In this case, when a curved surface shape is formed by the transfer material on each of the pair of planar portions, both curved surface shapes may be the same or different.

In the invention described in claims 2 to 8, the "curved surface shape" formed by the transfer material on the device material is a convex or concave spherical surface, a convex or concave aspherical surface, or a convex or concave cylinder. Various curved shapes such as a surface are possible.

In the optical device material according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the "transfer material" can be appropriately used as a material that is hardened by light and / or heat and can be physically etched. That is, as the transfer material, a “photo-curable material” or a “thermo-curable material that cures at a temperature of 200 ° C. or lower” is preferable (claim 9).

As the "photo-curable material", an epoxy resin, an acrylic resin, a urethane resin, a modified silicone resin, or a material composed of these compounds as a base can be used. In particular, a compound prepared by combining an epoxy resin and an acrylic resin is suitable as a transfer material. Of course, a commercially available ultraviolet curable resin or the like can be preferably used as the transfer material. An epoxy resin, a phenol resin, a urea resin, a melamine resin, or the like can be used as the “thermosetting material that cures at a temperature of 200 ° C. or less”.

As the "device material" in the optical device material according to any one of claims 1 to 9, any material that can be physically etched can be used without particular limitation. Of course, a "transparent optical material" is used for manufacturing (claim 10).

The "optical device manufacturing method" of the present invention is
The method of engraving the surface shape of the transfer material on the device material by performing anisotropic physical etching on the transfer material and the device material of the optical device material according to any one of claims 1 to 10. (Claim 1)
1). "Physical etching" includes RIE and ECR
Dry etching such as plasma etching is preferable.

The "optical device" of the present invention is the optical device itself manufactured by the optical device manufacturing method of the invention described in claim 11 above (claim 12). Claim 12
The curved surface-shaped portion of the described optical device having a reflective film formed thereon may be referred to as an "optical device" (claim 13). As described above, it goes without saying that the device material does not have to be transparent when the reflective film is formed into an optical device.

When an appropriate device material is selected, the optical device itself according to claim 12 manufactured as described above is transferred to a transfer material in the optical device material according to claims 1-10. It should be noted that it can also be used as a "molding die" for transferring the surface shape.

[0025]

As described above, in the optical device manufacturing method of the present invention, the material for the optical device has a curved shape of the transfer material, and anisotropic physical etching is performed on the device material and the transfer material. Thus, the curved surface shape, which is the surface shape of the transfer material, is engraved on the device material.

The curved surface shape formed as the surface shape of the transfer material is accurately formed by transferring the transfer surface shape of the molding die.

[0027]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1A shows an example of the material for an optical device according to claim 1.

The optical device material 10 is formed by forming a plurality of convex curved surfaces by the transfer material 12 in an array arrangement on one surface of a parallel plate-shaped device material 11. As the convex curved surface shape of the transfer material 12, a molding die 300 having a “concave curved surface shape corresponding to a predetermined convex curved surface shape” is used,
The convex curved surface shape is transferred onto the transfer material 12 so that it is accurately formed.

Material 10 for optical device shown in FIG.
When the surface of the transfer material 12 on which the convex curved surface is formed is physically etched and the surface shape of the transfer material 12 is engraved on the device material 11, as shown in FIG. It is possible to obtain an optical device 1A in which a desired convex curved surface shape is formed in an array arrangement on one surface (claim 12).

If a "transparent material" is used as the device material 11, the optical device of FIG. 1 (b) has a lens array or a microlens array (where the formed refracting surface is Available as small).

Of course, on both sides of the device material 11 of FIG.
Materials for optical devices in which convex shapes of transfer materials are formed in correspondence with each other are also possible. If the manufacturing method according to claim 11 is applied to such materials for optical devices, "both sides of parallel plates are formed. An optical device having a refracting surface can be obtained.

Further, in the optical device 1A of FIG. 1 (b),
An optical device that can be used as a convex mirror array or a micro convex mirror array can be realized by forming a reflection film on the surface on which the convex curved surface is formed (claim 13).

FIG. 2A shows an embodiment of the optical device material according to the second and third aspects. The optical device material 20 is obtained by forming a predetermined surface shape (aspherical surface) by the transfer material 22 on the surface of a spherical device material 21. For the surface shape of the transfer material 22, the transfer material 2 can be formed from “a mold having a predetermined curved surface shape as the transfer surface shape”.
It is accurately formed by transferring the shape of the transfer surface onto the surface of No. 2.

In the state of FIG. 2A, the transfer material 22 and the device material 21 are subjected to anisotropic physical etching, and the surface shape of the transfer material 22 is engraved on the device material 21. An optical device 2A as shown in FIG. 2B can be obtained. If a transparent material is used as the device material 21, the optical device 2A can be used as a lens having “a spherical surface on one side and an aspherical surface on one side” or a microlens (when the spherical body 21 is small).

The "curved surface shape" engraved on the device material 21 is the surface shape of the transfer material 22 that is engraved as it is or a similar shape to the above surface shape. Then, a "transfer surface shape that gives a desired curved surface shape" is formed in the molding die.

In FIG. 2 (a), if the device material 21 is a "cylindrical body" long in the direction orthogonal to the drawing, the resulting optical device has a surface with a special shape on one side and the other side. It can be used as a cylinder lens or a micro cylinder lens, which is a cylinder surface.

FIG. 3A shows an embodiment of the material for an optical device according to claims 2 and 4. The optical device material 30 has a predetermined curved surface formed by the transfer material 32 on one surface of the lens-shaped device material 30. The curved surface shape, which is the surface shape of the transfer material 32, can be accurately obtained by, of course, transferring the transfer surface shape to the surface of the transfer material 22 from a “molding tool having a predetermined curved surface shape as the transfer surface shape”. It is formed.

In the state of FIG. 3A, the transfer material 32 and the device material 31 are subjected to anisotropic physical etching, and the surface shape of the transfer material 32 is engraved on the device material 31. An optical device 3A as shown in FIG. 3B can be obtained. If a transparent material is used as the device material and the device material 31 has a spherical lens shape, the optical device 3A is used as a lens or a microlens (when the device material is small) having “a spherical surface on one side and an aspheric surface on one side”. it can.

If the device material 31 has a cylindrical lens shape long in the direction orthogonal to the drawing,
The optical device 3A can be used as a cylinder lens or a toroidal lens having a cylinder surface on one side and an aspherical surface on the other side, or as a micro cylinder lens or a micro toroidal lens.

The "curved surface shape" engraved on the device material 31 is the surface shape of the transfer material 32 which is engraved as it is or a similar shape to the above surface shape. Then, a transfer surface shape that gives a desired curved surface shape is previously formed on the molding die.

FIG. 4A shows an embodiment of the optical device material according to the second and fifth aspects. The optical device material 40 has a predetermined curved surface formed as a transfer surface shape on a planar portion of a device material 41 in which a part of a sphere is processed into a flat surface and a part of the sphere is cut into a flat surface. A curved surface is formed by the transfer material 42 to which the transfer surface shape is transferred from a molding die (not shown).

In the state of FIG. 4A, the transfer material 41 and the device material 42 are subjected to anisotropic physical etching, and the surface shape of the transfer material 42 is engraved on the device material 41. An optical device 4A as shown in FIG. 4B can be obtained. As a device material,
If a transparent material is used, the optical device 4A can be used as a lens or microlens having one spherical surface and one aspherical surface.

In FIG. 4A, the device material 41
Is a shape in which a part of a cylinder long in the direction orthogonal to the drawing is cut by a plane parallel to the axis, the obtained optical device has one side having a predetermined curved shape and the other side having a cylinder surface. Can be used as a cylinder lens or a micro cylinder lens (claim 7).

FIG. 5A shows an embodiment of the optical device material according to claims 2 and 6. The optical device material 50 is obtained by processing a part of a sphere into a flat surface,
The above-mentioned transfer surface shape is transferred from a molding die (not shown) in which a predetermined curved surface shape is formed as a transfer surface shape on each planar portion of the device material 51 cut in a pair of mutually parallel planes. The transfer materials 52 and 53 thus formed have a curved surface shape (both aspherical in the illustrated example).

In the state of FIG. 5A, the transfer material 51 and the device materials 52 and 53 are subjected to anisotropic physical etching, and the surface shapes of the transfer materials 52 and 53 are carved on the device material 51. By copying, an optical device 5A as shown in FIG. 5B can be obtained. If a transparent material is used as the device material, the optical device 5A
Can be used as a lens having both aspherical surfaces or as a microlens.

The aspherical surface formed by the transfer material is used as the device material 51.
When it is formed only on one of the plane portions, the obtained optical device can be used as a lens or a microlens having a plano-convex or plano-concave shape and an aspherical curved surface.

In FIG. 5A, the device material 51
Is a shape in which a part of a cylinder long in the direction orthogonal to the drawing is cut by a pair of planes parallel to the axis and parallel to each other, the resulting optical device has a curved surface shape on both sides. It can be used as a cylinder lens or a micro cylinder lens (claim 8).

FIG. 6 shows three other examples of the material for an optical device of the present invention. The optical device material 60 shown in FIG. 6A has a configuration in which a predetermined convex curved surface shape is formed by a transfer material 62 on a planar surface of a prism-shaped device material 61. It is one Example of the material for optical devices. The optical device material 70 shown in FIG. 3B is a spherical or cylindrical device material 71.
A curved surface shape is formed by the transfer materials 72 and 73 on the surface of, and this is one example of the optical device material according to claims 2 and 3. The optical device material 80 shown in FIG. 6C is a lens-shaped device material 81 having a predetermined curved surface formed by transfer materials 82 and 83 on both sides thereof. It is one Example of the material for devices.

The optical device obtained by physically etching the device material and the transfer material of these optical device materials and engraving the surface shape of each transfer material on the device material has any shape. It will be clear in light of the above description.

7 and 8 show an example in which a plurality of "optical communication couplers (highly efficient LD and optical fiber coupling modules)" as optical devices are "manufactured simultaneously". Since optical devices for optical communication are required to have severe environmental resistance, glass materials having excellent environmental resistance are required. In this example, the optical communication coupler to be manufactured is a “biconvex lens” and each lens surface is an “aspherical surface”.

In FIG. 7A, reference numeral 1 indicates a "sphere" made of glass. Multiple spheres 1 of the same shape
Are fixed and held by a dedicated jig 2 in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional array. At this time, the size (diameter) and the material of the sphere 1 are designed and determined by the dimensions, optical performance, etc. of the final optical device (coupler for optical communication).

The dedicated jig 2 is manufactured not only for fixing the glass sphere 1 but also for facilitating the thickening of one side of the biconvex lens in consideration of the subsequent steps. That is, for this purpose,
The portion of the center of the sphere 1 shown by the “dashed line” is set near the upper surface of the jig 2. Further, both surfaces of the jig 2 satisfy the necessary processing accuracy so that the optical axis of the biconvex lens finally formed is not damaged and the optical axis can be secured. The jig 2 may also serve as a lens holder (lens barrel) for the biconvex lens to be manufactured.

FIG. 7B is based on the result of the optical design.
It shows a state in which a flat surface 110 serving as a reference on the first surface side of the "biconvex lens" to be manufactured is formed by flattening. This plane processing can be performed by "normal glass surface plane polishing". The plane processing is performed by collectively polishing the first surface side of the plurality of spheres 1 together with the jig 2, and the "polishing amount" is set based on the result of the optical design.

FIG. 7C shows an aspherical shape 310 of a mold 300A, which is a "molding die" manufactured in advance based on the result of the optical design, of the spherical body 1 (the first surface side of which is flattened). It shows a state in which the two surfaces are opposed to each other (the lower spherical portion in the figure). The aspherical surface 310 of the mold 300A can be manufactured by applying a microfabrication technique using ultraprecision machining or photolithography technique.

The material of the mold 300A is not particularly limited, but in consideration of the subsequent peeling step, "a treatment for enhancing peelability", for example, "fluorine plasma treatment", etc. is performed on the aspherical surface 310. It is desirable to apply.

FIG. 7D shows the aspherical surface 31 of the mold 300A.
0 and the spherical surface on the second surface side of the sphere 1 irradiate the photocurable material 400 quantitatively sandwiched as a "transfer material" from the flat-processed side of the sphere 1 with the ultraviolet light 410 to emit light. The state where the curable material 400 is cured is shown. The curing of the photocurable material 400 may be performed by "irradiation of ultraviolet rays only" as described above, or "heat curing" may be performed after performing pre-curing with ultraviolet rays.

As the transfer material, the above photocurable material 400 is used.
A "thermoplastic material" may be used instead of, but a relatively low temperature near room temperature (200 ° C or less) so that an excessively high temperature does not act on the mold 300A and the sphere 1 during heat curing. It is preferable that it is cured by (Claim 9).

After the photo-curable material 400 is cured, the photo-curable material 400 and the aspherical surface 310 of the mold 300A are separated. The peeling is easy if the mold 300A is subjected to the above-mentioned fluorine plasma treatment, but may be carried out by a physical method such as "heat shock".

In this way, a predetermined aspherical surface is formed by the photocurable material 400, which is a transfer material, on the surface of the spherical body 1, which is a device material, having a predetermined curvature.
Therefore, the “combined body of the sphere 1 and the photocurable material 400” in the state of FIG. 7D is one example of the “material for optical device” described in claim 2.

FIG. 7E shows the photo-curable material 400, which is the "transfer material" in the "material for optical device" formed as described above at the stage of FIG. 7D, and the "device material". A state in which the aspherical shape formed as the surface shape of the photocurable material 400 is subjected to anisotropic physical etching with respect to the second surface side of the sphere 1 and is engraved on the second surface side of the sphere 1. Is shown. Reference numeral 130 indicates the “engraved aspherical shape”.

Physical etching is performed by RIE or ECR.
It is desirable to perform dry etching such as plasma etching.

FIG. 8 (f) (referred to as (f) in order to clarify that it is a step following FIG. 7 (e)) is obtained by performing plane processing by inverting the sphere 1 in FIG. 7 upside down. The state is shown in which the first surface side flat surface 110 faces downward and is opposed to the aspherical surface 510 formed in the mold 500.

The mold 500 is a mold 300A shown in FIG. 7 (c).
Separately, it is manufactured in advance based on the optical design. The method for manufacturing the mold 500 is the same as the method for manufacturing the mold 300A.

FIG. 8G shows an aspherical surface 510 of the mold 500.
And the plane 110 of the sphere 1 between the photocurable material 400.
Is quantitatively sandwiched as a transfer material and is irradiated with ultraviolet rays 410 to be cured. Photocurable material 4
When 00 is cured, it is peeled from the mold 500. In this way, the convex shape of the photocurable material 400 is formed on the flat surface 110 of the spherical body 1. Therefore, at this stage, the "material for optical device" according to claim 1 or claim 3 is obtained.

In FIG. 8 (h), the photocurable material 400 of the optical device material thus obtained and the flat surface 110 of the sphere 1 are etched by an anisotropic physical etching method to obtain the flat surface 110. The side shows a state in which the surface shape of the photocurable material 400 (a convex aspherical surface corresponding to the aspherical surface 510 of the mold 500) is carved. Reference numeral 150 indicates a carved "aspherical shape". The steps (f), (g), and (h) in FIG. 8 are the same as the steps (c), (d), and (e) in FIG.

In this way, the lens 1 in which the first surface and the second surface are both aspherical surfaces with the spherical body 1 as the "starting material"
A plurality of A (optical communication couplers) can be manufactured at one time.

Lens 1A which is a completed optical device
May be removed from the jig 2 as required and used as individual optical devices, or the whole may be used as a lens array while being held by the jig 2.

Incidentally, the "anisotropic etching" in the steps of FIGS. 7 (e) and 8 (h) means the etching rate of the ball lens material and the etching rate of the photosensitive material depending on the result of the optical design. The selection ratio which is the ratio of 1 may be deviated from 1, or may be changed during the etching. When the selection ratio is not 1 or when the selection ratio is changed in the middle, the transfer surface shape of the curved surfaces 300A and 500 of the mold may not be an aspherical shape, and may be a spherical shape. In other words, it is important to properly form a predetermined curved surface shape on the surface of the device material, which is the starting material, with the transfer material by using a molding die.

To change the "etching conditions" such as the selection ratio,
The physical etching can be easily changed by adjusting the pressure in the reaction chamber, the kind of introduced gas, the substrate temperature (the temperature of the material for the optical device), and the like. In the physical dry etching, the surface shape before etching was deformed by engraving the surface shape with a selection ratio of 1 from the surface shape before etching, shifting the selection ratio from 1 or changing it during etching. "Reproducibility" when forming a desired surface shape,
That is, the realization of the target shape is extremely high.

FIG. 9 shows an example in which the lens 1A manufactured as described above is used as an optical communication coupler. In this case, a minute optical element for coupling one channel "between LD 600 and optical fiber-610" is shown. Reference numeral 200 indicates a lens holder.

Example 1 A lens having a spherical first surface and a second aspherical surface was designed as a coupler for optical communication. Effective beam diameter: Φ1.6m
m, coupling efficiency: 58%. Based on the design result, the above lens as an optical device was manufactured as follows.

Material: SF60 (having a refractive index of 1.78278 for infrared light of wavelength: 0.83 μm),
A sphere having a diameter of 3.0 mm was prepared as a device material. This sphere was fixed to a jig as described with reference to FIG.

On the second surface side of the sphere which is the device material,
A curved surface shape was formed by a transfer material in which an aspherical surface shape was transferred from a molding die to obtain a material for an optical device. A mold, which is a molding die, was produced by subjecting a metal material to ultra-precision processing and a photolithography process to form a predetermined transfer surface shape. In the transfer surface shape, the “aspherical shape” finally formed on the surface of the device material is a well-known aspherical expression: Z = Ch ² / [1 + √ {1- (K + 1) C ² h ² } ] + Ah ⁴ + Bh ⁶ C = 1 / R (curvature on the optical axis) K: conical constant A, B: aspherical constant (A is a fourth-order term, B is a sixth-order term) Z: distance from lens vertex At K = −0.9995306, A = −0.84
03612 × 10 ~ ² , B = 0.2488880 × 10 ~
¹ , C = -1 / (1.5000 mm), and the mold was formed.

Further, the transfer surface shape portion of the mold was subjected to plasma fluorine treatment (plasma treatment using Ar and CF ₄ introduced therein) to improve releasability. As a surface treatment that replaces the plasma fluorine treatment, "fluorine water-releasing treatment with an organic substance (fluorine derivative substance of triazinethiol)" is also effective.

As the transfer material, an "anaerobic ultraviolet curing material" in which an acrylic material: 9 is mixed with an epoxy material: 1 is used, and as described with reference to FIG.
The transfer surface shape was transferred. The curing of the transfer material is 2500
The irradiation was performed by irradiating ultraviolet rays from the side of the sphere with an energy density of mJ / cm ² . At this time, if necessary, post baking may be performed at 120 ° C. for 30 minutes.

After the transfer material is cured, the mold and the transfer material are separated from each other. Of course, the transfer material is adhered to the sphere with sufficient adhesion by "surface treatment with a silane coupling agent or the like" applied to the surface of the sphere. At the time of this peeling, it could be easily peeled off due to the surface treatment effect of the transfer surface shape portion of the mold. At the time of peeling, if a heat shock or the like is applied, the peeling can be performed more easily. Thus, the “material for optical device” as described with reference to FIG. 2A can be obtained.

Subsequently, the optical device material was set in an ECR plasma etching apparatus while being held in a jig, and Ar, CHF ₃ and O ₂ gases were introduced, and 3 to 5 × 1 was used.
"Anisotropic etching" was performed for 420 minutes under the condition of 0 to ⁴ Toor, and the surface shape of the transfer material was directly engraved on the surface of the sphere. The selection ratio at this time is 1.

FIG. 10 shows a state in which the lens, which is the optical device thus obtained, is used as a coupler for optical communication. The left side of the figure is the LD side which is the light source, and the right side is the optical fiber-side. The optical device has a spherical surface on the first surface side (light source side) and an aspherical surface on the optical fiber side.

Under the conditions that the full width at half maximum of LD is 32 °, the distance between the LD and the first lens surface is 0.55 mm, and the distance between the second lens surface and the optical fiber is 8.75 mm, the coupling efficiency is 57%. The value as designed was obtained.

The glass spheres according to SF60 used as the device material in the above specific examples can also be used as "ball lenses" themselves. A state in which this ball lens is used as a coupler for optical communication is shown in FIG. The left side of the figure is the light source side, and the right side is the optical fiber side. In this case, the "coupling efficiency" was 15%.

SPECIFIC EXAMPLE 2 As a second specific example of the optical device, a case where a lens whose both surfaces are aspherical surfaces is used as a coupler for optical communication will be described. The design condition is the effective ray diameter of the first surface: Φ0.66mm
Then, the effective ray diameter of the second surface: Φ1.82 mm, coupling efficiency:
77.7% As a starting material for the manufacturing process, a sphere having a diameter of 3.0 mm according to material: SF60 was used as in the above-mentioned specific example 1.

A sphere, which is a device material, is fixedly held by a jig, and a die having a transfer surface shape preliminarily formed into an intended aspherical shape on the first surface side (fluorine water-releasing treatment with an organic substance is applied. ), The anaerobic UV-curable material is quantitatively applied as a transfer material, the spheres held by the jig are arranged so as to sandwich the UV-curable material, and the transfer material is sandwiched between the mold and the sphere. See in.

In this state, in order to cure the transfer material,
Irradiate with ultraviolet rays at an energy density of 2500 mJ / cm ² . At this time, if necessary, post baking may be performed at 120 ° C. for 30 minutes in the above state. In this way, after the resin is cured, the mold and the transfer material are separated from each other.
The optical device material as described in (a) can be obtained.

Subsequently, while holding the material for the optical device in the jig, it was set in the ECR plasma etching apparatus, and Ar, CHF ₃ , and O ₂ gas were introduced, and 3 to 5 × 10 5 was supplied.
Anisotropic physical etching is performed for 100 minutes under the condition of ~ ⁴ Toor (selection ratio: 1) to engrave the aspherical shape of the surface of the transfer material as it is on the first surface side of the sphere.

In the same process as above, an aspherical surface shape was formed from the transfer material on the second surface, and the optical device material thus obtained was subjected to different conditions for 480 minutes under the same conditions as those on the first surface side. By performing anisotropic physical etching, the aspherical shape of the transfer material surface was directly engraved on the second surface side of the sphere. In this way, an optical device could be obtained as a lens having an aspherical surface on both the first surface and the second surface.

The aspherical surface formed on the first surface and the second surface side is C = 1 / (1.5000 m with respect to the aspherical surface of the first surface.
m), K = −0.266909072 × 10 ² , A = B = 0 For the aspherical surface of the second surface, C = −1 / (1.5000
m), K = -0.9996278, A = -0.8063
241 × 10 ² and B = 0, and the transfer surface shape in each mold was formed based on this data.

FIG. 11 shows a state in which the lens thus obtained is used as a coupler for optical communication, following FIG. The coupling efficiency (full-width at half maximum of LD: 32 °) measured in the illustrated state was 75%, which was almost as designed.

Modified Specific Example In the specific example 2, the aspherical surfaces of both the first and second surfaces are formed on the spherical surface of the spherical body by the transfer material, and are then engraved on the spherical body by physical etching. Formed. In a modified example described below, a part of the sphere is processed into a flat surface by polishing as the first surface side, and then a curved surface shape is formed by the transfer material into the flat processed planar portion.
The transfer material is “a mold having a transfer surface shape according to the target aspherical shape on the first surface side (first in the specific example 2 above).
The shape of the transfer mold is the same as that of the mold for the surface side, but the shape of the peripheral part is different. That is, the mold shape of the effective diameter: φ0.6 mm portion is the same. The aspherical shape was transferred by using a fluorine water-releasing treatment with an organic substance on the transfer surface shape portion).

After that, Ar, CHF ₃ , and O ₂ gas were introduced into the ECR plasma etching apparatus to obtain 3 to 5 × 10 5.
Conditions of ~ ⁴ Toor (selection ratio: 1) at 500 minutes, subjected to physical anisotropic etching, and the surface shape of the transfer material as it is transferred to a sphere. Creation of the shape of the second surface was performed in exactly the same manner as in Concrete Example 2.

The difference between this modified specific example and the specific example 2 lies in the processing method of the first surface. Due to the difference in the processing method, not only the optical optical path length is different, but also the etching processing margin (size) at the time of etching is different. The smaller the processing dimension is, the shorter the processing time is, and the lower the cost is, which is a good processing method. In the above-mentioned specific example 2 (method of processing from spherical shape), the processing dimension is 5 μm and etching time is 100 minutes, but in the modified specific example (method of processing from planar shape), the processing dimension is 25 μm and etching time is It was 500 minutes. Therefore, the specific example 2 is an excellent processing method.

In the optical device material according to claim 1, instead of forming a convex curved surface shape by a transfer material on the surface portion on the plane of the device material, a transfer material (photocurable material or 200 ° C. or less) is used. It is also conceivable that an optical device material in which one or more accurate concave curved surface shapes are formed by a molding die by a thermosetting material that cures at a temperature of 1) is used. It should be additionally noted that an optical device having one or more desired concave curved surface shapes can be obtained by etching and engraving the concave curved surface shapes on the device material.

[0092]

As described above, according to the present invention, a novel optical device material (claims 1 to 10), an optical device manufacturing method (claim 11), and an optical device (claims 12 and 13) are provided. Can be provided.

According to the optical device manufacturing method of the present invention, the curved surface shape corresponding to the target surface shape is first accurately formed by using the mold as the surface shape of the transfer material, and then the target shape is realized. Since it is engraved on the device material by the excellent anisotropic physical etching, a desired surface shape can be accurately formed on the device material, and an optical device having excellent optical performance can be manufactured. Further, this manufacturing method can be carried out so as to manufacture a large number of optical devices at one time as in the example described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, and the manufacturing efficiency can be improved. .

The optical device material of the present invention is
Since a curved surface shape corresponding to a desired surface shape is formed on the device material by the transfer material, a desired optical device can be realized only by etching the curved surface shape by anisotropic physical etching. In addition, by making the shape of the device material surface spherical, cylindrical, lens surface, planar, etc., the device material can be obtained at low cost, and by selecting the above surface shape according to the design result of the optical device. Also, the etching amount can be reduced to shorten the etching time, which is suitable for mass production. That is, by making the surface shape of the device material spherical or the like, it is possible to perform etching from a target shape, for example, a shape similar to an aspherical shape, and it is possible to reduce the etching processing amount and shorten the etching time.

In the optical device material according to claim 9,
"Photocurable material" or "thermosetting material that cures at a temperature of 200 degrees C or less" is used as the transfer material, and when transferring the shape of the transfer surface from the mold, excessive heat is applied to the mold and device materials. Since there is no need to apply pressure or pressure,
A wide range of choices including plastics can be obtained, and since there is almost no damage to the mold due to heat or pressure, the life of the mold is long and the cost can be reduced.

The optical device of the present invention is manufactured by using the above-mentioned optical device manufacturing method using the above-mentioned optical device material, so that there is little "variation" between the devices and an accurate curved surface shape provides good optical characteristics. Can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram (b) for explaining one embodiment (a) of the material for an optical device according to claim 1 and an optical device manufactured from the same.

FIG. 2 is a diagram (b) illustrating one example (a) of the optical device material according to claims 2 and 3 and an optical device manufactured from the example.

FIG. 3 is a diagram (b) for explaining one example (a) of the optical device material according to claims 2 and 4 and an optical device manufactured from the example.

FIG. 4 is a diagram (b) for explaining one embodiment (a) of the optical device material according to claims 2, 5, and 7 and an optical device manufactured from the same.

FIG. 5 is a diagram (b) illustrating one example (a) of the optical device material according to claims 2, 6 and 8 and an optical device manufactured from the example.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing three other examples of the material for an optical device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining one embodiment of the optical device manufacturing method of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the above embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a usage state of the optical device (coupler for optical communication) manufactured in the above example.

10 is a diagram for explaining the optical performance of the optical device (coupler for optical communication) of Example 1. FIG.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the optical performance of the optical device (coupler for optical communication) of Example 2.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a comparative example with respect to the first specific example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Optical Device Material 11 Device Material 12 Transfer Material 300 Mold

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. A planar surface of a device material having one or more convex curved shapes formed by a transfer material to which the convex curved shape is transferred, using a mold having a concave curved shape corresponding to a predetermined convex curved shape. Material for optical devices formed on. 2. A molding die having a predetermined curved surface shape as a transfer surface shape, and a transfer material having the transfer surface shape transferred thereto, to form one or more curved surface shapes on a surface of a device material having a predetermined curvature. Material for optical devices formed on. 3. The optical device material according to claim 2, wherein the device material is a sphere or a cylinder. 4. The optical device material according to claim 2, wherein the device material is formed in a lens shape. 5. A planar portion of a device material, which is obtained by processing a part of a sphere into a flat surface and cutting a part of the sphere into a flat surface,
A material for an optical device in which a curved surface shape is formed by a transfer material having the transfer surface shape transferred from a molding die having a predetermined curved surface shape as the transfer surface shape. 6. A part of the sphere is made into a flat surface by processing a part of the sphere into a flat surface.
Of the device material in the shape cut along the pair of parallel planes,
A material for an optical device having a curved surface formed by a transfer material obtained by transferring the transfer surface shape from a molding die having a predetermined curved surface shape as a transfer surface shape on at least one planar portion. 7. A device material, which is obtained by flattening the peripheral surface of a cylindrical body and cutting a part of the cylinder along a plane parallel to the axis, has a predetermined curved surface shape as a transfer surface shape on a planar portion. A material for an optical device, which is formed into a curved surface shape by a transfer material having the transfer surface shape transferred from the formed mold. 8. A planar portion of at least one of the device materials in which a peripheral surface of a cylindrical body is machined into a flat surface, and a part of the cylindrical body is cut along a pair of planes parallel to an axis and parallel to each other. The transfer material having the transfer surface shape transferred from the molding die having the predetermined curved surface shape as the transfer surface shape,
A material for an optical device having a curved shape. 9. The material for an optical device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8, wherein the transfer material is a photocurable material or heat that cures at a temperature of 200 ° C. or less. A material for optical devices, which is a curable material. 10. The optical device material according to claim 1, 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9, wherein the device material is a transparent optical material. 11. A physical etching of the material for an optical device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9 or 10 which is anisotropic with respect to the transfer material and the device material. A method for manufacturing an optical device, characterized in that the surface shape of the transfer material is engraved on the device material by performing. 12. An optical device manufactured by the optical device manufacturing method according to claim 11. 13. An optical device comprising a reflective film formed on a curved surface portion of the optical device according to claim 12.