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Research paper : A challenge to the low-cost production of highly functional optical elements (J. Nishii)−29−Synthesiology - English edition Vol.1 No.1 (2008) to achieve high performances in processing, coating, and molding equipments, in order to improve the mold fabrication and imprinting processes to a practical level. The optical device companies will be required to decide whether to continue the research and development entirely in a black box or to commercialize such knowledge as recipe by the collaboration with equipment companies.6 SummaryThe objective of the research described here is to develop the relatively small optical devices used in home electronic products such as imaging devices and optical disc drives. The technologies in this area are facing a fierce catch-up of neighboring countries, and are required to overcome the two issues of cost reduction and performance improvement. “Glass imprinting process” has potential to realize the reduction of component number, the manufacturing energy consumption and the cost. Therefore it is expected that this process becomes the core of next-generation fabrication process of optical components. For example, if the wavelength independent wave plate can be fabricated by this process, the number of wave plates necessary in next-generation CD/DVD drive is reduced to one-third. Also, the antireflection coating of the lens will become unnecessary.Research and development for the sub-wavelength optical elements described in this paper will be applicable to large displays, lighting equipments, solar cells and so on. It is ultimately expected to reduce the energy consumed of information I/O devices with highly efficient control of optical signals. In order to realize such optical devices, the microfabrication technology and material technology must be fused efficiently. Until now, collaboration took place mainly between companies, and the universities and government institutes rarely participated. It was recognized that the technology was already completed not only in “Type 1 Basic Research” but in the field of “Type 2 Basic Research” as stated by AIST. However, after the efficient improvement of technology, we faced new technological barriers, that could not be solved by conventional disciplines. Therefore, researchers were required to return to both “Type 1” and “Type 2 Basic Researches” to extract issues and research subjects to be tackled, and to solve several problems efficiently and timely. Here the important point is the role of AIST assuming the missions of Type 2 Basic Research. AIST must maintain the potential to exhibit not only the research subjects directly linked to demand but also the research results obtained by the collaboration with companies and universities. Also AIST must centrally manage various materials and state-of-art infrastructures.AcknowledgementsThis work was carried out in Next-generation Nanostructured References[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]H. Kikuta and K. Iwata: Hacho yori komakana koshi kozo niyoru hikari seigyo (Optical control by grating structure finer than wavelength), Kogaku, 27, 12-17 (1998) (in Japanese).S.Y.Chou, P.R.Krauss and P.J.Renstrom: Imprint of sub-25 nm vias and trenches in polymers, Appl. Phys. Lett., 67, 3114-3116 (1995).S.Y.Chou, P.R.Krauss, W.L.Guo and L.Zhuang: Sub-10 nm imprint lithography and applications, J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B 15, 2897-2904 (1997).T.Yoshikawa, T.Konichi, M.Nakajima, H.Kikuta, H.Kawata and Y.Hirai: Fabrication of 1/4 wave plate by nanocasting lithography, J. Vac. Sci. Technol., B 23, 2939-2943 (2005).H. Miyakoshi, M. Morikawa, O. Masuda, M. Imae, M. Yamada, and K. Yoshida: Nano impurinto o riyo shita sabu hacho kozo kotai’iki hachoban no sakusei (Manufacture of sub-wavelength structure wide band wave plate using nano-imprinting), Optics Japan 2005 Collection of Papers, 24pD5, Tokyo (2005) (in Japanese).T.Mori, K.Hasegawa, T.Hatano, H.Kasa, K.Kintaka and J.Nishii: Fabrication of sub-wavelength periodic structures upon high-refractive-index glasses by precision glass molding, Proc. of 13th Micro Optics Conference, B2, Takamatsu, Japan (2007).S.J.Wilson and M.C.Hutley: The optical properties of ‘moth eye’ antireflection surfaces, Optica Acta, 29, 993-1009 (1982).H.Toyota, K.Takahara, M.Okano, T.Yotsuya and H.Kikuta: Fabrication of microcone array for antireflection structured surface using metal dotted pattern, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 40, L747-749 (2001).J.Nishii, K.Kintaka, Y.Kawamoto, A.Mizutani and H.Kikuta: Two dimensional antireflection microstructure on silica glass, J. Ceram. Soc. Japan, 111, 24-27 (2003).M. Umetani, K. Yamada, T. Tamura, Y. Tanaka, and J. Nishii: Garasu hyomen ni hansha boshi kozo o keisei suru seikei purosesu no kaihatsu (Development of molding process to form antireflection structure on glass surface), The Japan Society for Precision Engineering Autumn 2007 Conference Lectures, L33, Asahikawa (2007) (in Japanese).Received original manuscript September 19, 2007Revisions received November 20, 2007Accepted November 20, 2007Photonic Device and Process Technology as part of the Materials Technology Program supported by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), which was done jointly with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Konica Minolta Opto, Inc., Nihon Yamamura Glass Co., Ltd., Isuzu Glass Co., Ltd., Osaka Prefecture University, Kyoto Institute of Technology, and Ehime University. AuthorJunji NishiiAfter completing masters degree at Graduate School of Engineering and Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University in 1982, joined Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.

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