Shoutbox

Loading
Loading ...





Smilies


Certified Domain Seal


Menu


Search



Advanced Search


Stats

pages views since
05/19/2016 : 142965

 · Members : 7
 · News : 806
 · Downloads : 0
 · Links : 0


Partner Groups


Ultra-Thin Lenses Will Transform Technology
Posted by Okachinepa on 01/17/2025 @ 
SynEVOL Source
Single Color Lens Developed Wafer
Courtesy of SynEvol
Credit: 2024 Konishi et al. 


Researchers have created a novel way to use common semiconductor manufacturing processes to create Fresnel zone plates, which are paper-thin optical lenses.

Even though these lenses are currently less effective, their potential for mass production and application-specific design could revolutionize a variety of industries, including consumer electronics and astronomy.

A new generation of compact optical devices may be made possible by paper-thin optical lenses, which are easy enough to produce in large quantities utilizing microchip manufacturing techniques. Fresnel zone plates (FZPs) are flat lenses that have been created and tested by researchers from JSR Corp. and the University of Tokyo utilizing standard semiconductor manufacturing tools, namely the i-line stepper. This is the first time that this method has been used to create such lenses. Despite not being as effective as traditional lenses at the moment, these flat lenses have the potential to completely transform optics in a variety of fields, including consumer electronics, healthcare, and astronomy.

Metalenses and other flat lenses are already available, but they are costly, complicated, and scarce. With the assistance of academic researchers, manufacturers are investigating alternative technologies in response to the need for improved performance, reduced costs, and superior quality. FZPs have become a viable option, particularly for applications with limited space. For the first time, researchers successfully produced sample lenses through a simple and efficient process using standard industry machinery.


Eye Test for Lenses
Courtesy of SynEvol
Credit: 2024 Konishi et al. 


"We used a common semiconductor lithography system, or stepper, to develop a straightforward and mass-producible method for FZPs," stated Associate Professor Kuniaki Konishi of the Institute for Photon Science and Technology. The reason for this is a unique kind of photoresist or mask known as a color resist, which was first created for use as color filters. We created lenses that could concentrate visible light down to about 1.1 microns—roughly 100 times thinner than a human hair—by merely coating, exposing, and developing this material.

The new FZPs' current flaw is that they only have a 7% light-gathering efficiency, which results in images that are too noisy. However, the group is already figuring out how to boost this fourfold by altering how they use the color is resistant. Though it is possible, this would necessitate a higher level of control over the physical characteristics of the color resists than the researchers had at the time of this investigation.



Photoresist Lithography Process

Courtesy of SynEvol
Credit: 2024 Konishi et al. 

Together with effectively creating FZPs, we also developed simulations that closely reflect our tests. This means that before committing to manufacturing, we might modify designs to fit certain uses in various industries, like medicine," Konishi explained. Additionally, we anticipate economic and environmental advantages as well because, in contrast to conventional manufacturing techniques, the FZP production process uses a lot less energy and does not use hazardous etching chemicals.

Therefore, it may be some time until FZPs enable you to record situations in excellent visual fidelity using your really tiny smartphone, but this or similar technology will probably be developed shortly.