Fabrication of microlens arrays in polycarbonate with nanojoule energy femtosecond laser pulses

Microlens arrays were fabricated by focusing a high repetition rate femtosecond laser with low energy pulses inside polycarbonate samples. The microlens was imaged in a scanning electron microscope and was optically characterized using a HeNe laser. It was found that the microlens has a diameter of 80 μm, a focal length of 100 μm, a numerical apperture of 0.63 and a spot diameter of 1.2 μm. Additionally, we found that a void is created under the microlens. © 2012 OSA.