A method for producing an optical waveguide by: (a) depositing on a substrate a composition comprising: (i) a poly-siloxane comprising epoxy groups and alkenyl groups, (ii) a silane crosslinker having at least two silicon-hydrogen bonds and (iii) at least one compound comprising an epoxy group and a refractive index of at least 1.49; (b) heating; (c) depositing a second composition comprising: (i) a second polysiloxane comprising epoxy groups and alkenyl groups, and (ii) a second silane crosslinker having at least two silicon-hydrogen bonds; (d) curing by heating; (e) exposing to ultraviolet light through a mask to produce a patterned core layer; (f) heating to evaporate at least a part of the uncured portion of the first composition.

A method of fabricating polymer modulators includes forming an insulating layer on a platform and depositing and patterning a ground electrode on the insulating layer. A bottom polymer cladding layer, a first blocking layer, a polymer core layer, a second blocking layer, and a top polymer cladding layer are deposited in order. A third blocking layer is deposited on the top cladding layer and patterned to define vias which are used to etch ground openings through the top polymer cladding layer, the second blocking layer, the core layer, the first blocking layer, and the bottom cladding layer to the ground electrode. The openings are filled with electrically conductive material from electrical communication with the ground electrode to a surface of the top polymer cladding layer. The third blocking layer is removed and electrical contacts are formed on the top polymer cladding layer in electrical communication with the electrically conductive material.

An example of a printed structure comprises a target substrate and a structure protruding from a surface of the target substrate. A component comprising a component substrate separate and independent from the target substrate is disposed in alignment with the structure on the surface of the target substrate within 1 micron of the structure. An example method of making a printed structure comprises providing the target substrate with the structure protruding from the target substrate, a transfer element, and a component adhered to the transfer element. The component comprises a component substrate separate and independent from the target substrate. The transfer element and adhered component move vertically toward the surface of the target substrate and horizontally towards the structure until the component physically contacts the structure or is adhered to the surface of the target substrate. The transfer element is separated from the component.

A system for forming a micro-truss structure including a reservoir having walls and a flat bottom configured to hold a volume of a liquid photomonomer configured to form a photopolymer when exposed to light, a partially transparent mask secured to, or being, the bottom of the reservoir, a release layer on the mask configured to resist adhesion by the photopolymer, and a blocker positioned a first distance below the mask. The system also includes a light source positioned below the blocker configured to produce collimated light suitable for causing conversion of the photomonomer into the photopolymer, and to which the blocker is opaque, and a first mirror, oblique to the blocker, configured to reflect the light from the light source around the blocker and through the mask and into the reservoir. The blocker is positioned to block a straight path of light from the light source to the mask.

A device includes an optic in an at least partially rigid scaffold. The scaffold is permeated, at least temporarily during a writing process, by writable media. The optic may be written into a writable volume in the scaffold defined by the writable media. The optic may be written by exposing the writable media to incident light to cause a material property change in the writable media within the writable volume.

A method for producing an optical waveguide by: (a) depositing on a substrate a composition comprising: (i) a poly-siloxane comprising epoxy groups and alkenyl groups, (ii) a silane crosslinker having at least two silicon-hydrogen bonds and (iii) at least one compound comprising an epoxy group and a refractive index of at least 1.49; (b) heating; (c) depositing a second composition comprising: (i) a second polysiloxane comprising epoxy groups and alkenyl groups, and (ii) a second silane crosslinker having at least two silicon-hydrogen bonds; (d) curing by heating; (e) exposing to ultraviolet light through a mask to produce a patterned core layer; (f) heating to evaporate at least a part of the uncured portion of the first composition.

In an example method of forming a waveguide film, a photocurable material is dispensed into a space between a first mold portion and a second mold portion opposite the first mold portion. Further, a relative separation between a surface of the first mold portion with respect to a surface of the second mold portion opposing the surface of the first mold portion is adjusted. The photocurable material in the space is irradiated with radiation suitable for photocuring the photocurable material to form a cured waveguide film. Concurrent to irradiating the photocurable material, the relative separation between the surface of the first mold portion and the surface of the second mold portion is varied and/or an intensity of the radiation irradiating the photocurable material is varied.

The invention concerns a method of manufacturing a modulated optically diffractive grating and a corresponding grating. The method comprises providing a substrate and manufacturing a plurality of temporary elements onto the substrate, the temporary elements being arranged in a periodic pattern comprising at least two periods having different element characteristics. Next, a first deposition layer is deposited so as to at least partially cover the temporary elements with the first deposition layer and the temporary elements are removed from the substrate in order to form onto the substrate a modulated diffractive grating of first grating elements made of the first deposition layer, the pattern comprising within each period a plurality of first grating elements and one more gaps between the first grating elements. The invention allows for producing high-quality gratings with locally varying diffraction efficiency.

The present disclosure provides a photocurable coating composition, including: (a) a (meth)acrylate monomer or oligomer with at least four functional groups; (b) a difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer, (c) a monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer, and (d) an initiator. The difunctional (meth)acrylate monomer is present in an amount of 30 to 70 wt % based on the total weight of the photocurable coating composition. The present disclosure also provides an optical film having a microstructure layer made from the photocurable coating composition. The optical film can be as a light guide film in a back light module of a display.

A method of fabricating polymer modulators includes forming an insulating layer on a platform and depositing and patterning a ground electrode on the insulating layer. A bottom polymer cladding layer, a first blocking layer, a polymer core layer, a second blocking layer, and a top polymer cladding layer are deposited in order. A third blocking layer is deposited on the top cladding layer and patterned to define vias which are used to etch ground openings through the top polymer cladding layer, the second blocking layer, the core layer, the first blocking layer, and the bottom cladding layer to the ground electrode. The openings are filled with electrically conductive material from electrical communication with the ground electrode to a surface of the top polymer cladding layer. The third blocking layer is removed and electrical contacts are formed on the top polymer cladding layer in electrical communication with the electrically conductive material.