Injection molding
for mass production

Quantum X and its proprietary Two-Photon Grayscale Lithography (2GL ^®) technology is the ideal tool for the maskless microfabrication of refractive and diffractive microoptics. Its ultrafast voxel tuning capability results in 2.5D topographies with discrete and accurate steps, as well as continuous surfaces with highest precision and optical-grade surface finish. Quantum X can process different substrate types such as glass slides or silicon wafer up to 6” and is specially designed for rapid prototyping and small series production.

For large scale series production and industrial mass production of microoptics and 2.5D-microstructured surfaces, our partner kdg opticomp provides the manufacturing solution of high-precision injection molding. Here, molten material, most commonly thermoplastics or thermosetting polymers, is injected into a mold and forms the desired object with submicron precision.

The central part of this technology is the metal mold which must withstand the high temperatures and pressure during the molding process. Electroplating is a proven approach for the fabrication of a micro- and nanostructured nickel shim which is employed as the molding tool in high-precision injection molding. In this electrochemical process, nickel is deposited on the 2.5D-microstructured master template and thus creates an exact inverted copy of it.

The microfabrication capabilities of Quantum X perfectly match the requirements for the efficient master template fabrication and thus enable the mass production of freeform microoptics, micro-lens arrays, diffractive and refractive microoptics and other 2.5D microstructures by injection molding.