Microlens array, method for manufacturing microlens array, electro-optical device and electronic apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9477015-B2
Application number	US-201414569702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2014
Priority date	Jan 9, 2014
Publication date	Oct 25, 2016
Grant date	Oct 25, 2016

Abstract

A microlens array includes a cell, and P lenses (P is an integer of 4 or more) arranged in the cell, in which the apexes of the P lenses are arranged such that symmetry is at least partially broken, when viewed in plan view. In this way, it is possible to suppress diffraction caused by regularity in the lens shape in the cell. Accordingly, it is possible to realize a microlens with a high utilization efficiency of light.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microlens array that includes a first lens, a second lens and a third lens arranged in a cell,
wherein:
the first lens and the second lens adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in a first direction,
the first lens and the third lens are arranged neighboring in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and
a gap between an apex of the first lens and an apex of the second lens is different to a gap between the apex of the first lens and an apex of the third lens.

2. An electro-optical device, comprising:
the microlens array according to claim 1 .

3. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
the electro-optical device according to claim 2 .

4. A microlens array that includes a first lens, a second lens and a third lens arranged in a cell,
wherein:
the first lens and the second lens are arranged neighboring in a first direction,
the first lens and the third lens adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and
an inner product of a vector that connects an apex of the first lens and an apex of the second lens and a vector that connects the apex of the first lens and an apex of the third lens is a value different to 0.

5. An electro-optical device, comprising:
the microlens array according to claim 4 .

6. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
the electro-optical device according to claim 5 .

7. A microlens array including P lenses (where P is an integer of 2 or more) arranged in a cell,
wherein:
a first lens and a second lens adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in a first direction,
the first lens and a third lens adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction,
the second lens and a fourth lens adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in the second direction,
the third lens and the fourth lens adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in the first direction, and
apexes of the P lenses are arranged such that symmetry is at least partially broken, when viewed in plan view.

8. The microlens array according to claim 7 ,
wherein the apexes of the P lenses are disorderly arranged in the cell, when viewed in plan view.

9. An electro-optical device, comprising:
the microlens array according to claim 8 .

10. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
the electro-optical device according to claim 9 .

11. An electro-optical device, comprising:
the microlens array according to claim 7 .

12. An electronic apparatus, comprising:
the electro-optical device according to claim 11 .

13. A method for manufacturing a microlens array, comprising:
forming a first translucent material on a substrate;
forming a mask layer having a first opening portion, a second opening portion, and a third opening portion on the first translucent material;
forming a concavity in the first translucent material by subjecting the first translucent material to isotropic etching via the mask layer; and
embedding the concavity in a second translucent material with a refractive index different to the refractive index of the first translucent material,
wherein:
the first opening portion and the second opening portion adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in a first direction,
the first opening portion and the third opening portion adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and
a gap between a center position of the first opening portion and a center position of the second opening portion is different to a gap between the center position of the first opening portion and a center position of the third opening portion.

14. An electro-optical device, comprising:
a microlens array manufactured by the method of manufacturing a microlens array according to claim 13 .

15. A method for manufacturing a microlens array, comprising:
forming a first translucent material on a substrate;
forming a mask layer having a first opening portion, a second opening portion, and a third opening portion on the first translucent material;
forming a concavity in the first translucent material by subjecting the first translucent material to isotropic etching via the mask layer; and
embedding the concavity in a second translucent material with a refractive index different to the refractive index of the first translucent material,
wherein:
the first opening portion and the second opening portion are arranged neighboring in a first direction,
the first opening portion and the third opening portion adjacent to each other are arranged neighboring in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction, and
an inner product of a vector connecting a center position adjacent to each other of the first opening portion and a center position of the second opening portion and a vector connecting the center position of the first opening portion and a center position of the third opening portion is a value different to 0.

16. An electro-optical device, comprising:
a microlens array manufactured by the method of manufacturing a microlens array according to claim 15 .

17. A method for manufacturing a microlens array, comprising:
forming a first translucent material on a substrate;
forming a mask layer having P opening portions (P is an integer of 4 or more) in a unit area on the first translucent material;
forming a concavity in the first translucent material by subjecting the first translucent material to isotropic etching via the mask layer; and
embedding the concavity in a second translucent material with a refractive index different to the refractive index of the first translucent material,
wherein the P opening portions are arranged such that symmetry is at least partially broken, when viewed in plan view.

18. The method for manufacturing a microlens array according to claim 17 ,
wherein the P opening portions are disorderly arranged in a unit area, when viewed in plan view.

19. An electro-optical device, comprising:
a microlens array manufactured by the method of manufacturing a microlens array according to claim 18 .

20. An electro-optical device, comprising:
a microlens array manufactured by the method of manufacturing a microlens array according to claim 17 .

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Nimura Toru

Classifications

• G03B21/28

  Reflectors in projection beam {(in illumination beam G03B21/2066)} · CPC title

• G03B21/006

  using LCD's · CPC title

• G02B27/149

  using crossed beamsplitting surfaces, e.g. cross-dichroic cubes or X-cubes · CPC title

• H10F39/8063

  Microlenses · CPC title

• H10F39/802

  Geometry or disposition of elements in pixels, e.g. address-lines or gate electrodes · CPC title