Direct manufacturing of micro lens arrays via laser-ablation and -polishing

Micro lens arrays made of glass are optical components which, due to their complexity, can fulfill the function of many larger lenses at the same time. Optical arrangements can thus be miniaturized and made lighter. The production of such elements can be a challenge, especially for medium and small quantities. Therefore, at the ifw Jena, two direct production methods of such elements are being investigated: laser ablation with ultrashort pulsed (USP) lasers and ablation with a short-pulsed CO2-laser respectively polished with a cw-CO2 laser. The experiments show a good homogeneity of the lenses as well as a high process speed.