Method of manufacturing a plurality of optical elements and product thereof
A method of manufacturing a plurality of optical elements ( 140 ), the method comprising providing a first wafer ( 120 ) having hardened replication material forming optical elements ( 140 ) on a first side of the first wafer ( 120 ), providing a second wafer ( 121 ) having hardened replication material forming optical elements ( 140 ) on a first side of the second wafer ( 121 ), depositing liquid droplets ( 180 ) on the first side of the first wafer ( 120 ) between the optical elements ( 140 ) aligning the first side of the first wafer ( 120 ) with the first side of the second wafer ( 121 ), and bringing the two wafers ( 120, 121 ) together such that the liquid droplets ( 180 ) on the first side of the first wafer ( 120 ) adhere to the first side of the second wafer ( 121 ).
1. A method of manufacturing a plurality of optical elements, the method comprising:
providing a first wafer having hardened replication material forming optical elements on a first side of the first wafer;
providing a second wafer having hardened replication material forming optical elements on a first side of the second wafer;
depositing liquid droplets on the first side of the first wafer between the optical elements while modulating the volume of each liquid droplet such that the deposited liquid droplets have a height of up to 2 mm;
aligning the first side of the first wafer with the first side of the second wafer; and
bringing the two wafers together such that the liquid droplets on the first side of the first wafer adhere to the first side of the second wafer forming a concave meniscus.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid droplets are formed of a high viscosity material that can be hardened.
3. The method of claim 2 , comprising hardening the liquid droplets.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein hardening the liquid droplets comprises curing the liquid droplets with UV radiation.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising depositing liquid droplets on the first side of the second wafer between the optical elements.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the liquid droplets are formed of a high viscosity material that can be hardened.
7. The method of claim 6 , comprising hardening the liquid droplets.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein hardening the liquid droplets comprises curing the liquid droplets with UV radiation.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the volume of each liquid droplet is modulated such that the deposited liquid droplets have a height of 1 to 2 mm.
10. An apparatus comprising:
a first wafer having hardened replication material forming optical elements on a first side of the first wafer;
a second wafer having hardened replication material forming optical elements on a first side of the second wafer; and
spacers joining the first wafer and the second wafer, wherein the spacers are shaped as a concave meniscus;
wherein the spacers are formed by a process including:
depositing liquid droplets on the first side of the first wafer between the optical elements while modulating the volume of each liquid droplet such that the deposited liquid droplets have a height of up to 2 mm;
aligning the first side of the first wafer with the first side of the second wafer; and
bringing the two wafers together such that the liquid droplets on the first side of the first wafer adhere to the first side of the second wafer forming a concave meniscus.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the liquid droplets are formed of a high viscosity material that can be hardened.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the liquid droplets are by curing the liquid droplets with UV radiation.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising depositing liquid droplets on the first side of the second wafer between the optical elements.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the liquid droplets are formed of a high viscosity material that can be hardened.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the liquid droplets are hardened by curing the liquid droplets with UV radiation.
16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein depositing the liquid droplets comprises modulating a volume of each liquid droplet to generate a desired separation distance between the first wafer and the second wafer.
17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the volume of each liquid droplet is modulated such that the deposited liquid droplets have a height of 1 to 2 mm.