High-efficiency and high-precision replication manufacturing of large-aperture multi-level diffractive lenses

To address the need for efficient and large-scale fabrication of multi-level diffractive lenses (MDL) for focusing and imaging applications, this study investigates the limitations of small aperture, high cost, and low efficiency in existing MDL fabrication processes. By analyzing the advantages and characteristics of various techniques in the micro-nano structure fabrication process, we propose an MDL fabrication method that combines grayscale photolithography and nanoimprint lithography. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method enables precise fabrication of MDL microstructures with a 10% error margin, exhibiting excellent structure control capabilities and fabrication accuracy. Notably, compared to traditional processing methods, the fabrication time for MDLs has been reduced from 5 hours to 10 minutes per piece using the method suggested in this study. By integrating nanoimprint lithography and grayscale photolithography, we successfully achieve high-efficiency and high-precision replication manufacturing of large-aperture MDLs. In conclusion, this research offers a high-efficiency and high-precision replication manufacturing method for the mass production of MDLs, potentially promoting the industrialization of MDLs in optical application fields.