Formation of micro lens by laser polymerization

Recently, micro lenses have been in demand for uniting laser devices and optical fibers. We have fabricated a new type of plastic micro lens by laser polymerization. The amount of resin polymerized by exposure to laser light (light curing) depends on the laser power and the exposure time. The shape of the lens can be controlled by changing the conditions of laser irradiation. In this paper, the characteristics of the lens formed by this method are examined. The relation between the lens shape and the conditions of laser irradiation are investigated, and the conditions for reducing transverse spherical aberration are examined. A lens 390 μm in diameter was formed. The area that can be used for light coupling from a laser diode to a multimode fiber will be 81% of the total lens area. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 95(2): 59–67, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10339