Optical Lenses

Daicel's Wafer Level Optics (WLO) is made of monolithic plastics, which realize smaller and thinner optical lenses than glass and glass hybrid ones. This opens the door to more complex and unfettered optical design1). Moreover, being far more heat-resistant than general plastic lenses at 260℃ to 150℃ by comparison, our lenses are applicable to automated assembly processes2), which helps customers to improve their productivity. Our WLO is widely adopted for sensing cameras.

  1. ex. FOV, EFL
  2. Reflow soldering process at 260℃
Optical Lenses

Features

the demand of plastic lens is increasing thanks to their better manufacturability than glass, which gives engineers wider design leeway. Yet, lenses made from thermoplastic carry the disadvantage of being weak against heat. However, we manufacture lenses from thermosetting or photo-curable plastics that have long-term heat resistance, so they retain their transparency and shape even after passing through reflow processes of about 260℃, which makes them applicable to automated assembly processing. Moreover, because glass substrates are not needed to manufacture WLO, engineers have broader latitudes of freedom to design lenses of wide field of view or shorter focal length for super-thin, compact devices that require less space.

Feature of Daicel’s optical lenses

Molding Technology

Ultra-compact
molding

Ultra-compact molding

We can mass-produce ultra-small stacked lens units measuring 1.0 mm square by taking advantage of the wafer-level lens process.

Ultra-thin
molding

Ultra-thin molding

Conventional plastic molding is limited to the minimum thickness of 200-300 microns, but depending on the shape, our process can produce ultra-thin lenses measuring only 50 microns or less.

Ultra-fine
molding

Ultra-fine molding

The wafer-level lens process can mold a sub-micron size structure and sharp tip so that extremely fine prism manufacture is feasible. Moreover, super-fine patterns in nano order scale can be made.

High-aspect-ratio
molding

High-aspect-ratio molding

We can mold lenses of eccentric thicknesses (high aspect ratio) and mechanical structures that are difficult to produce via conventional injection molding.

Molding Process
Process Solutions

Products

Sensing Optics
(optical components for sensors)

Sensing optics
Sensing optics
Overview
  • Units can be manufactured with a lens designed to accommodate various light sources such as visible light LEDs, infrared LEDs, and VCSEL (laser).
  • Lens designs that are difficult to manufacture with injection molding - such as thin, small and complex shapes - can be mass-produced to specific optical requirements.
  • Accommodates mass production of up to millions of units/month.
Applications
  • Mobile devices (smartphones, wearable devices)
  • Smart home devices
  • Robots, drones, etc.
Application Examples
  • Flash lens
  • Biometric authentication
  • 3D segmentation
  • Diffusion lens used for other light sources

Illumination Optics

Illumination otics
Illumination optics
Overview
  • Units can be manufactured with a lens designed to accommodate various light sources such as visible light LEDs, infrared LEDs, and VCSEL (laser).
  • Lens designs that are difficult to manufacture with injection molding - such as thin, small and complex shapes - can be mass-produced to specific optical requirements.
  • Accommodates mass production of up to millions of units/month.
Applications
  • Mobile devices (smartphones, wearable devices)
  • Smart home devices
  • Robots, drones, etc.
Application Examples
  • Flash lens
  • Biometric authentication
  • 3D segmentation
  • Diffusion lens used for other light sources

Imaging Optics

Imaging optics
Imaging optics
Overview
  • High-aspect lenses can also be manufactured to provide focus-free lenses.
  • Accommodates the reflow process.
  • Accommodates wafer stacking and optical coating.
Applications
  • Home security devices
  • Office-use surveillance cameras
  • Ultra-small imaging cameras
Application Examples
  • Motion sensors
  • Collimator lenses
  • Biometric authentication

Customized Optics

Customized lens
Customized lens

We can devise the optimal optical materials to meet customer requirements for various applications.

3D Sensing Solutions

Applications

Space-saving of device Power-saving of device Ensuring designability Durability Various additional functions Customizability
Solutions Resistance to high heat processing (260℃) Focus adjustment-free Less noticeable Environmental test endurance Coating Customizing to requirements
Applications Smartphones
VR		 Home devices Smartphones
Home devices		 Smartphones
Automotive lenses		 Smartphones
Industrial robots		 Smartphones
Robots
Automotive electronics
Wearable devices
Core technologies Molding technique of high heat-resistant (reflowable) material High precision wafer stacking, and molding technique Molding technique with no dependence on shape Material compounding technique Technique of layering silver circuit Molding technique
Products Small lensesImaging lenses,
Diffusing lenses		 Fixed Flange Back lensImaging lenses Fresnel lensDiffusing lenses Sensing opticsImaging lenses,
Diffusing lenses		 Conductive circuit printed lensesDiffusing lenses Customized lensesImaging lenses,
Diffusing lenses
Space-saving of device
Solutions Resistance to high heat processing (260℃)
Applications Smartphones, VR
Core technologies Molding technique of high heat-resistant (reflowable) material
Products Space-saving of deviceImaging lenses, Diffusing lenses
Power-saving of device
Solutions Focus adjustment-free
Applications Home devices
Core technologies High precision wafer stacking, and molding technique
Products Power-saving of deviceImaging lenses
Ensuring designability
Solutions Less noticeable
Applications Smartphones, Home devices
Core technologies Molding technique with no dependence on shape
Products Ensuring designabilityDiffusing lenses
Durability
Solutions Environmental test endurance
Applications Smartphones, Automotive lenses
Core technologies Material compounding technique
Products DurabilityImaging lenses, Diffusing lenses
Various Additional functions
Solutions Coating
Applications martphones, Industrial robots
Core technologies Technique of layering silver circuit
Products Various Additional functionsDiffusing lenses
Customizability
Solutions Customizing to requirements
Applications Smartphones, Robots, Automotive electronics, Wearable devices
Core technologies Molding technique
Products CustomizabilityImaging lenses, Diffusing lenses