PREPARATION OF SYNTHETIC RESIN OPTICAL ELEMENT HAVING REFRACTIVE INDEX DISTRIBUTION

摘要

PURPOSE:To obtain an optical element having a smooth surface and a stable refractive index distribution by a method wherein light or electronic rays are irradiated from the direction vertical to one surface of a container to start the polymeric reaction of the monomer mixture in the container from the inner wall of the container and to deposit the produced copolymer on the inner wall. CONSTITUTION:The monomer mixture 1 containing at least two kinds of monomers different in refractive index as polymer and monomer reactive ratio is held in the container 2, light or electronic rays are irradiated from the direction vertical to one surface 2A of the container 2 to start the polymeric reaction of the monomer mixture 1 from the inner wall of the container 2, to deposit 6 the produced copolymer on the inner wall and to gelatinize all the monomer mixture. Then, the gelled monomer mixture 6 is heated finally to complete polymerization and the polymerized synthetic resin object 7 is wrought to obtain a plastic curved lens 8 having the refractive index distribution of the desired shape.