Quartz Glass Microlenses Etched by Reactive Ion Etching

3 Quartz Glass Microlenses Etched by Reactive Ion Etching 

Unlike the previous example, a microlens etched by a dry technique on quartz glass is shown in this section. In optical communications, single mode fibers are preferred because of the absence of mode dispersion and mode noise. In order to explore a microlens whose working wavelength lies in the infrared (IR) frequency band (e.g., 1300 nm), Eisner et al. presented silicon microlenses for IR fabricated by reactive ion etching (RIE) [9]. 

Measurement of profile of quartz glass lens with mechanical profilometer. Curve (a) shows a PR lens etched into the quartz glass, curve (b). Curve (c) is an ideal sphere at identical height to the glass lens. Source Eisner, M. and J. Schwider. 1996. Optical Engineering, 35(10), 2979-2982. With permission.) 

Twyman-Green interferogram and three-dimensional plot of silicon microlens. Source Eisner, M. and J. Schwider. 1996. Optical Engineering, 35(10), 2979-2982. With permission.) 

4 Self-Assembled Supermolecular Nanoscale Spherical Microlenses 

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