Abstract: A method for the production of optically operating structures, particularly of lenses and lens arrays and prisms, with which in at least one masking step (MS) a base structure (10) that is optically operating in steps is formed on the surface of a substrate (1) in at least one masking step (MS) with a subsequent etching step (AS) and is then smoothed by capillary surface forces of the melted substrate in a melting step by means of heating to melting, characterized in that in the melting step (SS) the substrate (1) that carries the base structure (10) is placed inside a vacuum chamber (3), and then to charge the base structure (10) in a strip-like manner with a high-voltage-accelerated electron beam (4), which simultaneously moves on the substrate (1) perpendicularly and in respect to a melting zone (11) operated by the electron beam (4) on the base structure (10), with such an energy density that the melting zone (11) has a depth (T) that corresponds to at least one step height (H) of the stepped base structu