Inlaid optical material and method of manufacture
Inventors
Foster, John S. • Harley, John C. • Johnston, Ian R. • Summers, Jeffery F.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-8541735-B2
Publication Date
2013-09-24
Expiration Date
Abstract
An optical material is inlaid into a supporting substrate, with the top surface of the optical material flush with the top surface of the substrate, wherein the optical element is used to shape a beam of light travelling substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate, but with the central axis of the beam below the top surface of the substrate. The optical elements serve to shape the beam of light for delivery to or from a microfabricated structure within the device.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a microdevice architecture in which inlaid optics are formed in a substrate. A substrate has a top surface, and at least one void is formed in the top surface, with a first optical element formed by an optically transmissive material having an index of refraction and contained in the void, where the top surface of the optically transmissive material does not extend beyond the top surface of the substrate.
The first optical element is configured to transmit a beam of light propagating in a plane substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate, with a symmetry axis that is substantially parallel to the top surface. An adjacent second optically transmissive material having a different index of refraction is disposed adjacent to the first optically transmissive material, and is configured to reflect or refract the beam of light at a boundary between the first and second optically transmissive materials, with the second optically transmissive material comprising at least one of air, water, and an oil.
The invention also includes making the microdevice by forming voids and depositing materials in a manner that yields a planar, flush optical element. A first void is formed in a top surface of a substrate, a thin layer of conductive material is deposited conformally over the top surface and into the first void, a first optically transmissive material is deposited into the first void to form the first optical element, and the top surface of the optically transmissive material is planarized until it is substantially flush with the top surface of the substrate, followed by forming a second void adjacent to and contiguous with the first optical element.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims: a microdevice claim and a method-for-making claim. The claims cover inlaid optical elements formed in substrate voids, interaction of a beam propagating substantially parallel to the substrate top surface with a boundary between different-index optically transmissive materials, and a conductive-layer deposition with flush planarization in the manufacturing method.
Inlaid optical element in substrate void
A substrate having a top surface, at least one void formed in the top surface, and a first optical element comprising a first optically transmissive material having an index of refraction and contained in the at least one void, wherein a top surface of the optically transmissive material does not extend beyond the top surface of the substrate.
Parallel beam transmission with symmetry axis parallel to substrate
The first optical element is configured to transmit a beam of light propagating in a plane substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate and has a symmetry axis which is substantially parallel to the top surface.
Adjacent different-index optically transmissive material boundary for reflection/refraction
A second optically transmissive material having a different index of refraction and disposed adjacent to the first optically transmissive material, and configured to either reflect or refract the beam of light at a boundary between the first and the second optically transmissive materials, wherein the second optically transmissive material comprises at least one of air, water and an oil.
Conformal conductive layer into void for planarized optical element
Forming a first void in a top surface of a substrate; depositing a thin layer of conductive material conformally over the top surface of the substrate and into the first void; forming a first optical element by depositing a first optically transmissive material having an index of refraction into the first void; and planarizing the top surface of the first optically transmissive material until it is substantially flush with the top surface of the substrate.
Parallel-beam interaction and contiguous adjacent second void
The first optical element is configured to interact with a beam of light propagating in a plane substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate; and forming a second void into the top surface of the substrate, adjacent to and contiguous with the first optical element.
Overall, the claims center on microdevices with a first in-void optically transmissive material forming an optical element that transmits a beam propagating substantially parallel to the substrate top surface, and on an adjacent different-index optically transmissive material that reflects or refracts the beam at their boundary. The method claim further requires conformal conductive-layer deposition into the void and planarizing the optical material to a substantially flush top surface, followed by forming a second adjacent contiguous void.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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