BUMP

About

Technology This technology provides a rapid, low-cost and versatile method for fabricating microlens arrays based on surface wrinkling. Surface wrinkling is a shape instability that occurs upon the application of a critical compressive stress to a material. This fabrication method uses selective surface modification and controlled swelling of an elastomeric layer to cause spontaneous formation of aligned wrinkles and microlens structures at the modified sites of the layer. The curvature of the microlens structures can be easily tuned by adjusting the size and/or the thickness of the modified sites. Advantages Rapid patterning: This technology allows for rapid generation of microlens arrays over macroscopic dimensions by eliminating lengthy patterning steps associated with conventional patterning techniques. Low-cost fabrication: Microlens arrays or compound lenses can be fabricated efficiently without the need of cost-prohibitive patterning techniques. High tunability: The fabrication method allows for easy tuning of microlens array dimensions to meet the needs of various end-use applications. High versatility: The surface-wrinkling-based patterning process is amenable to both planar and nonplanar substrates, as well as to a wide variety of elastomeric materials, enabling the fabrication of a multitude of functional articles. AVAILABILITY: Available for Licensing or Sponsored Research. DOCKET: UMA 07-12 PATENT STATUS: US Patents 7,858,156 and 7,978,416 issued