Thermodynamic coupling analysis of precision molding process for chalcogenide glass microlens array under multiple...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering
• Manufacturing Processes

Background:

• Precision glass molding (PGM) is established for aspheric lenses but limited for complex free-form and array surfaces.
• Microlens arrays (MLAs) present challenges due to their intricate structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate temperature and stress variations during the molding of chalcogenide glass MLA optical elements.
• To optimize the PGM process for complex MLA fabrication.

Main Methods:

• A finite element method (FEM) simulation model was developed to analyze heating and forming stages.
• Process parameters influencing stress distribution in glass lenses were examined.
• Optimization involved applying different loads during heating and pressurization stages.

Main Results:

• The simulation revealed temperature and stress distributions during MLA molding.
• Process parameter analysis identified key factors affecting stress.
• Optimized loading strategy reduced stress in MLA optical elements.
• Molding time was decreased by over 21%.

Conclusions:

• The optimized PGM process effectively reduces stress and shortens fabrication time for chalcogenide glass MLAs.
• FEM simulations are valuable for understanding and improving complex glass molding processes.
• This work advances the capability of PGM for intricate optical element production.