DISTRIBUTED REFRACTIVE INDEX LENS AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

摘要

An inexpensive, resin-made distributed refractive index lens unit can be manufactured by prior art, but an IP panel employing these lenses becomes expensive because it requires an assembling process for arranging 10,000 or more lenses in parallel and has a problem with mass productivity. A sheet-like (5) distributed refractive index lens array (6) exhibiting excellent mass productivity as compared with prior art is formed of a polysilane material and arranged such that the refractive index is distributed in the direction parallel with the plane and substantially invariant in the direction perpendicular to the plane. Refractive index distribution in the direction parallel with the plane has a spot-like maximal portion, and a plurality of circular distributions (3) where refractive index lowers gradually as it is away from the maximal portion as the center are arranged periodically in the direction parallel with the plane.