Microlenses have wide applications in consumer products, such as flat panel displays, photocopiers, laser printers, etc. However, they have never been used in conjunction with biochips in general and nano-biochips in particular, where they could be very useful.

Using the Nano Fountain Pen (NFP) we deliver small volumes of monomer solution which is subsequently UV polymerized to create microlenses. Thus, we can position individual microlenses with very high positioning precision in strategically important locations.

The lens diameter depends on the deposition time, i.e. the time the pipette is held in contact with the surface.

The radius of curvature of the lens is completely determined by the diameter, since:

Therefore it depends on the deposition time as well.

The focal length depends on the radius of curvature:

And can be thus controlled by the deposition time.

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By scanning in the Z direction, it is possible to obtain the point spread function (PSF) of the microlenses:

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