Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Masaaki Yokota

Kiyoshi Yamamoto

Tetsuo Kuwabara

Yasushi Taniguchi

Fumitaka Yoshimura

Isamu Shigyo

Toru Aruga

A mold used for press-molding precision parts, such as an optical element formed of glass. A carbon film is formed at least on the molding surface of a matrix of the mold via an intermediate layer or without such a layer. The carbon film is shaped with a carbon ion beam having a desired ion energy such that a plurality of projections having an average height of from 0.5 to 30 nm are arranged at an average pitch of from 5 to 30 nm. Such a shape of the carbon film decreases the surface energy and frictional coefficient of the film and increases adhesion strength of the film to the matrix without impairing the surface roughness of an optical element to be molded. Thus, a resultant mirror surface of the mold is highly durable, free from film peeling and cracks in the formation of glass.

Mold and method of manufacturing the same

In a method of molding an optical device by press-molding a glass preform by using molding dies, the press-molding process is executed under a mixed gas atmosphere of a nonoxidizer gas and a hydrocarbon gas.

Method of manufacturing optical device

There is disclosed an apparatus for producing optical elements, provided with a conveyor for transporting carriers for materials of optical elements into an evacuatable process chamber, and with a heating system for the material supported by the carrier, a forming system for the material supported by the carrier while the material is heated by the heating system, and a system for depositing a thin film to the material formed by the forming system and supported by the carrier.

Growing community of inventors

Sagamihara, Japan

Masaaki Yokota