Reactive oxide micro molding of diffractive optical elements in glass and transparent ceramics

We present a new chemical process that we call ´Reactive Oxide Micro Molding´ (ROMIM), for the realization of micro-optical components in glass and transparent, high dielectric ceramics for Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical System applications. The technology is based on an original chemical route to prepare a stable solution of reactive oxide nano-particles and reactive oxide-oligomer units at very high concentration. Thermal processing triggers a reactive agglomeration amongst these reactive species without causing defects and cracks, thanks to both the high density of the solution and the absence of organic material. The final result is a pure glass or ceramic structure without inclusion of organic materials.