Microlens Arrays

Description

Introduction of Bote Microlens Arrays

Microlens array, also known as fly-eye lens or compound-eye lens, is an important and basic component of the optical system. It generally consists of a series of tiny unit lenses in a certain arrangement.

Different arrangements can produce different imaging results. Generally, the period size of a sub-unit is around tens of um to several thousand um, and the shape of the unit is circular, square, free-form surface, hexagon, square and other shapes.

Types of Microlens Arrays

According to the optical design principle of microlenses, we can say that microlens arrays are divided into diffractive and refractive:

• Refractive microlenses:

Based on the refraction principle of traditional geometric optics, it has the advantages of being lighter, smaller, and highly integrated. Its main applications include imaging and beam conversion, optical communications, medical treatment, medical beauty and over-beam scanning. Common lens diameters include square, rectangular, hexagonal and circular.

• Diffractive microlens array:

Use surface relief structure to modulate and change the wave phase of incident light to achieve the target function. The main problems it solves are the correction of high-order aberrations, spot shape modulation of arbitrary light distribution, optical communications, medical beauty and other fields.

Application

Microlens arrays are most commonly used to improve the light collection efficiency of charge-coupled device arrays. They collect and focus light that would otherwise fall on the non-sensitive areas of the CCD.

Microlens arrays are also commonly used in digital projectors to focus light. There are also microlens array combinations designed for new imaging properties, such as the ability to display images at unit magnification without image inversion.

Microlens arrays are also used in compact imaging devices such as smartphone cameras. Or they can be used in optical microscopy, where two arrays can be used to achieve uniform illumination.

Finally, microlens arrays are also used to implement light field photography (all-optical cameras), so that no initial focusing is required to capture images. Instead, focus is achieved when post-processing the image using software.

Today, microlens arrays are becoming an integral part of most optical systems.

Applications they are used for include:

• Confocal microscopy
• Digital projector
• Display and HUD imaging systems
• Lighting system
• Lidar system
• Light field cameras and systems
• Medical laser system
• Optical sensor
• White light interferometer