SBIR Phase I: Exposure Controlled Projection Lithography for Fabrication of Physical Shaped GRIN Optics

SBIR 第一阶段：用于制造物理形状梯度折射率光学器件的曝光控制投影光刻

• 批准号: 1315661
• 负责人: Wenchao Zhou
• 金额: $ 14.9万
• 依托单位: AlpZhi, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-07-01 至 2014-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1315661&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Exposure; Controlled; Projection

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project aims to create a unique maskless lithography technology called "Exposure Controlled Projection Lithography" (ECPL), to enable manufacturing of gradient index (GRIN) optical components with controlled physical aspheric shapes. ECPL is an advanced additive stereolithography fabrication technology which will reduce the manufacturing cost and time, and provide high flexibility over the shape and refractive index distribution compared to existing manufacturing processes. A key advantage of the ECPL approach is that smooth optical surfaces can be fabricated, without the stair-stepping caused by typical layer-by-layer fabrication methods, on flat as well as curved substrates. The primary focus of this proposal is to further ECPL fabrication capability to include three-dimensional lenses that possess multi-dimensional varying GRIN profiles. The primary intellectual merit of this project lies in furthering the scientific understanding of advanced photopolymerization in stereolithography processes, and developing high fidelity multi-directional control over these physical behaviors. Key intellectual advancements include constructing high-fidelity models of resin response, advancing the development of an interferometric real-time monitoring system, and improving process planning and control algorithms. This effort will result in an intelligent, flexible aspheric GRIN microlens fabrication process.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to develop an enabling technology for a wide range of research and commercial products, and represents a key advancement in an industry trend towards single-step fabrication at low cost, high throughput and yield, and without re-tooling or equipment downtime. The processes and control algorithms proposed to be developed have potential to facilitate technologies throughout the Opto-Electro-Mechanical systems' industry, including numerous biomedical and bio-inspired design applications, micro-fabrication, holographic data storage, nano-scale manufacture, micro-scale quality assurance and non-destructive testing, surveillance systems, and health care, amongst many others. The broad appeal of ECPL-like processes is simple: utilizing dynamically controllable micro-fabrication techniques to create microstructures that vary three-dimensionally in both shape and material properties without the need for pre-formed masks, molds, or tooling greatly improves the flexibility of micro-manufacturing systems while keeping production costs to an absolute minimum. ECPL technology will enable research of bio-inspired optical designs, including the GRIN contact lens for human vision correction and the wide field of view (fly's eye) concept. The real-time monitoring system ECPL supports nearly any stereolithographic process, and since virtually all raw materials are converted into final product, provides an additive benefit of environmentally friendly part production.

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在创建一种独特的无掩模光刻技术，称为“曝光控制投影光刻”（ECPL），以实现具有受控物理非球面形状的梯度折射率（GRIN）光学元件的制造。 ECPL 是一种先进的增材立体光刻制造技术，与现有制造工艺相比，它将降低制造成本和时间，并在形状和折射率分布方面提供高度灵活性。 ECPL 方法的一个关键优点是可以在平面和弯曲基板上制造光滑的光学表面，而不会出现典型的逐层制造方法造成的阶梯状。该提案的主要重点是进一步提高 ECPL 制造能力，以包括具有多维变化 GRIN 轮廓的三维透镜。该项目的主要智力价值在于加深对立体光刻过程中先进光聚合的科学理解，并开发对这些物理行为的高保真多向控制。关键的智力进步包括构建树脂响应的高保真模型、推进干涉实时监测系统的开发以及改进工艺规划和控制算法。 这项工作将带来智能、灵活的非球面梯度折射率微透镜制造工艺。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为广泛的研究和商业产品开发一种使能技术，代表了行业趋势的关键进步，即以低成本、高吞吐量和良率实现单步制造，并且无需重新加工或设备停机。拟开发的流程和控制算法有潜力促进整个光机电系统行业的技术发展，包括众多生物医学和仿生设计应用、微加工、全息数据存储、纳米级制造、微米级质量保证和无损检测、监控系统和医疗保健等。类 ECPL 工艺的广泛吸引力很简单：利用动态可控微制造技术来创建形状和材料属性在三维上变化的微结构，而不需要预成型的掩模、模具或工具，大大提高了微制造系统的灵活性，同时将生产成本保持在绝对最低水平。 ECPL 技术将促进仿生光学设计的研究，包括用于人类视力矫正的 GRIN 隐形眼镜和宽视场（蝇眼）概念。实时监控系统 ECPL 支持几乎所有立体光刻工艺，并且由于几乎所有原材料都转化为最终产品，因此提供了环保零件生产的额外优势。