3D manufacturing of glass multifocal microlens-arrays and skewed optics through laser assisted processes (Invited Paper)

Microlens arrays (MLAs) are commonly used in various applications including beam shaping, illumination optics, fiber light coupling and imaging. Here, we investigate unconventional techniques to produce glass MLAs with unique arrangements and different lens properties. We present a laser-assisted manufacturing method combining femtosecond laser machining of preform shapes, wet etching and laser thermal reflow to achieve low surface roughness’s and targeted lens curvatures. This technique has high design flexibility, allowing for manufacturing of multifocal lens-array (MFLA), enabling 3D imaging as well as a novel approach for skewed optics, for light redirection and field-of-view (FOV) enhancement. This process paves the way for more complex freeform shapes in glass and manufacturing of highly tuneable MLAs optimized for applications such as integral imaging or compound eyes.