Low-cost high-precision polymer optics for single-use endoscopic applications

Abstract

Single-use endoscopes show a steady growth in medical applications due to the advantage of omitted cross-patient infections. The devices benefit in terms of the imaging optics from the developments in wafer-level-optics (WLO) which was once considered to become the fabrication technique for all high volume applications. However, the restrictions in achievable vertex heights of the lenses, the necessity of the glass wafers within the optical path and the limited number of lenses per stack are still obstacles when targeting resolutions beyond HD. We have developed a new and fully scalable fabrication method for monolithic aspherical polymer lenses similar to those originating from optical injection molding. In contrast to the later, high-temperature resistant UV-curing materials as in WLO are used, which are even compliant to reflow-soldering processes. In consequence, a new tool-set for low-cost, high-volume and high-resolution imaging optics becomes available. It overcomes the restrictions of WLO-based lens techniques and thus provides new degrees of freedom in lens design and manufacturing. Furthermore, in contrast to WLO and injection molding, low initial fabrication costs enable cost-effective demonstrators, prototypes, and small series products. Thanks to the scalability of the processes, also high-volume applications can be addressed cost-efficiently. In this paper we present the benefits of our new technology and show some endoscopy camera module demo systems we realized with our optics so far.