Micro- and Nanostructured Optics

The generation and replication of optical micro- and nanostructures is the basis for modern complex optical systems. The technology available at Fraunhofer IOF - such as grayscale lithography, electron beam lithography, reactive ion etching, step & repeat replication, wafer-scale fabrication, or even molding techniques - allows the fabrication and characterization of high-end micro- and nanooptical elements of the highest resolution on up to 12" substrates and also on curved surfaces. Fields of application are for example diffraction gratings, CGHs (computer-generated holograms), microlens arrays, diffusers, or stochastic structures. Lithographic techniques allow the simultaneous production of a large number of elements with the highest lateral accuracy. As an extremely flexible direct-writing process, maskless grayscale lithography allows the generation of high-precision microstructures and surface profiles.

 

Photolithography

Lithographic processes enable the simultaneous production of a large number of elements with the highest lateral accuracy, a key requirement...
 

Grayscale lithography

With outstanding flexibility, direct writing grayscale lithography enables the generation of high precision microstructures for the implementation into optical systems...
 

Tailored light diffusers

Tailored Light Diffusers enable the efficient transformation of incoming light into a desired angular distribution at the far field.

 

Stochastic structures for antireflection

Stochastic structures arise fully through self-organization or are initiated by thin layers following plasma and ion beam exposure on materials...
 

Electron beam lithography

Micro- and nanostructured optics can be represented using lithography techniques, although the technical requirements on the lithography systems...
 

Diffractive Optics

Diffractive optics based on micro- and nanostructured surfaces offer flexible possibilities to present new optical functions which are often barely achievable with conventional optics. This opens up new areas of application...
 

Refractive Optics

One area of focus in microoptic technology at Fraunhofer IOF is the lithographic generation of microlens arrays or other optical microstructures...
 

UV molding

UV molding is a cost-effective method of producing micro-optics on wafer scale. Here, a liquid polymer resin is UV-cured between a substrate...
 

Combination of lithography, dry etching and molding

The production of microlens arrays using photoresist reflow and following transfer with reactive ion etching (RIE) is an established technology...
 

Technologies for producing molding tools

The ultra-precision processing technology available at Fraunhofer IOF is equipped with the following systems...
 

Step & Repeat Replication

The Step & Repeat process enables the parallel and cost-effective replication of micro-optical components for the production of large quantities.

 

Optics and Photonics Materials

Metamaterials, Plasmonics, Photonic cristals, Micro-optics materials, Silicon optics