Joint venture develops anti-reflection lenses

Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and Ito Optical Industrial Co Ltd are jointly developing a technology for low cost mass-production of resin lenses with an anti-reflection function.

A microstructure of metal nanoparticle is formed on the surface of the die used for injection moulding of the resin lens, to which anti-reflection function is given.

Previously, a multi-layer coating was required to give lenses anti-reflection functionality, so the new method is expected to result in cost savings.

The new technology uses nanoparticle formed under vacuum process as a mask to produce a die with nanoparticle on the surface through the etching method. It can be used on lenses with a smaller radius of curvature than was possible using the multi-layer coating method.

The new technology can be used to produce lenses for digital cameras or camera modules of mobile phones.

Samples of the new lenses will be exhibited in SIMM/Optical booth at Lens Expo 2007.