Heptagon Oy

Andreas Maciossek

Hartmut Rudmann

Markus Rossi

The invention concerns a process of manufacturing optical components. A replication tool, a sub-master or a replica is manufactured using a structured element (for example a master) and a substrate. A structure of the structured element is replicated into liquid or plastically deformable material disposed at a first place on said substrate, then hardened to make it dimensionally stable, whereon the structured element is removed. These replicating, hardening and removing steps are repeated for a second, third, etc. place on said substrate the same structured element.

Manufacturing a replication tool, sub-master or replica

According to the invention, a micro-structured element is manufactured by replicating/shaping (molding or embossing or the like) a 3D-structure in a preliminary product using an replication tool (). The replication tool comprises a spacer portion () protruding from a replication surface (). The replica (the micro-structured element, for example the micro-optical element or micro-optical element component) may be made of epoxy, which is cured&#x2014;for example UV cured&#x2014;while the replication tool is still in place. The replication process may be an embossing process, where the deformable or viscous or liquid component of the preliminary product to be shaped is placed on a surface and then the replication tool is pressed against this surface. As an alternative, the replication process may be a molding process.

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Zurich, Switzerland

Andreas Maciossek