Abstract: A flexible optical element useful for optical wiring is provided, in which a light emitting portion is disposed to a core end face of a flexible polymeric optical waveguide channel sheet having a film substrate clad, a core and a clad layer covering the core. A method which enables of manufacturing the optical element in a simple and convenient manner at a low cost is also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a polymer optical waveguide equipped with a plurality of alignment marks (AM), which comprises bringing a film substrate into contact with a mold having concave portions corresponding to convex portions for the optical waveguide and convex portions for a plurality of AMs, introducing a curable resin from an end of the mold into concave portions, curing the resin, peeling the mold, and forming a cladding layer on a core/AM-forming surface, or bringing a film substrate into contact with the mold having concave portions corresponding to convex portions for the optical waveguide and notches, introducing the curable resin from an end of the mold into the concave portion, curing the resin, applying a material for AM to the film substrate through the notches and, thereafter, forming the cladding layer on the core/AM-forming surface.

Abstract: A flexible optical element useful for optical wiring is provided, in which a light emitting portion is disposed to a core end face of a flexible polymeric optical waveguide channel sheet having a film substrate clad, a core and a clad layer covering the core. A method which enables of manufacturing the optical element in a simple and convenient manner at a low cost is also provided.

Abstract: A method of producing a polymer optical waveguide, the method including preparing a core-forming mold having a concave portion corresponding to at least one optical waveguide core, bringing a concave side of the core-forming mold into close contact with a flat substrate, filling a core-forming curable resin into the concave portion by suction and/or by utilizing a capillary phenomenon, curing the core-forming curable resin to form an optical waveguide core, and removing the optical waveguide core from the core-forming mold and the flat substrate.

Abstract: A method of producing a polymer optical waveguide, including: preparing a mold; preparing a lower film base material; introducing a core-forming curable resin into a first through-hole of the mold with which the lower film base material is brought into close contact while sucking the concave portion of the mold from a second through-hole under reduced pressure to introduce the core-forming curable resin into the concave portion of the mold; curing the core-forming curable resin which has been introduced; removing the mold from the lower film base material; providing a clad-forming curable resin layer and an upper film base material, the clad-forming curable resin layer being sandwiched between the lower film base material, on which the core is formed, and the upper film base material; and curing the clad-forming curable resin layer to fix the lower film base material and the upper film base material.

Abstract: A process for producing a polymer optical waveguide including: 1) preparing a rubber mold having a composite layer structure in which a rubber layer which has a concave portion corresponding to an optical waveguide core and contains a rubber mold-forming curable resin is buried in a rubber layer-forming concave portion of a rigid substrate having the rubber layer-forming concave portion; 2) bringing a cladding substrate into close contact with the rubber mold; 3) filling the concave portion of the rubber mold, with which the cladding substrate has been brought into close contact, with a core-forming curable resin; 4) curing the filled core-forming curable resin; 5) removing the rubber mold from the cladding substrate; and 6) forming a cladding layer on the cladding substrate on which the core has been formed.

Abstract: A process for producing at least one polymer optical waveguide wherein each of at least one polymer optical waveguide has at least one start point and at least one end point uniformly aligned along a same single straight line. The process includes preparing a mold having at least one concave portion for forming at least one core; bringing a cladding substrate into close contact with the mold disposing the at least one concave portion towards the cladding substrate; filling the at least one concave portion of the mold with a core-forming curable resin; curing the core-forming curable resin in the at least one concave portion to form at least one core; and cutting a cladding substrate possessing at least one core part and a cladding layer thereon along the same single straight line.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical circuit pattern, including: forming a patterned concave portion in a layer of a water repellent and oil repellent polymer material, which has a property of being decomposed due to light having a wavelength in a range of 150 to 220 nm, by irradiating light having a wavelength in a range of 150 to 220 nm and thereby decomposing and removing the polymer material at an irradiated portion; and filling a resin material having a refractive index higher than that of the polymer material in the concave portion.

Abstract: In a method for forming a light waveguide, a light waveguide forming substrate is disposed so that a photosemiconductor thin film or a conductive thin film on the substrate is in contact with an aqueous electrolyte solution containing a film forming material having a property that solubility or dispersibility to a water solution decreases according to the pH change, and a voltage is applied between the photosemiconductor thin film or the conductive thin film and a counter electrode by light irradiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a polymeric optical waveguide-forming master plate, comprising: laying a thread which does not transmit rays used for subsequent exposure on a substrate for a master plate, applying a positive resist material onto the substrate to have a thickness such that, when parallel rays are vertically radiated onto the resist from a side opposite to a substrate side with respect to the thread and then the resist is developed, a layer made of the resist is formed at whole space where the rays have not been radiated; radiating parallel rays substantially vertically to the substrate to expose the resist to the rays; and developing the exposed resist on the substrate to form a convex portion corresponding to a shape of an optical waveguide core, to waveguide production methods using the same, and to the resultant waveguide.

Abstract: A laminated polymer optical waveguide including two or more optical waveguide films each of which includes an optical waveguide core on a light-transmissive clad film, the two or more optical waveguide films being laminated on each other by using a clad-forming curable resin having a refractive index close to that of the light-transmissive clad film. The laminated polymer optical waveguide includes, at an end thereof, plural strip-shaped structures which each include at least one optical waveguide core and which can be each independently bent in the direction along which the optical waveguide films are laminated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polymeric optical waveguide, comprising: preparing a mold having, on a surface thereof, a branched concave portion for forming a core; bringing a clad substrate into close contact with the surface of the mold having the branched concave portion; filling the branched concave portion with a core-forming curable resin by supplying and sucking the core-forming curable resin from one end of the branched concave portion into the branched concave portion toward another end of the branched concave portion which is provided opposite the one end while the remaining ends of the branched concave portion are closed, by opening the closed ends, and by sucking the core-forming curable resin into portions communicating with the opened ends; and curing the core-forming curable resin; and a production device used for the above method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a connector-integrated type polymer optical waveguide, comprising: an optical waveguide including a film substrate for clad, an optical waveguide core provided on the film substrate, and a clad layer formed on side faces and a top face of the core; a pair of connector sleeves formed at positions at which the connector sleeves sandwich the optical waveguide core at least in one end portion of the polymer optical waveguide; and a rigid member for connector formation, wherein the film substrate for clad and the connector sleeves are fixed to the rigid member for connector formation in such a state that the center of the optical waveguide core and the center for connector sleeves are substantially on the same plane. The present invention also provides a method for producing the above-mentioned connector-integrated type polymer optical waveguide and a mold to be used for the method.

Abstract: A method for producing a polymer optical waveguide including: (1) preparing a template that is made of a template forming curable resin and has a concave portion, (2) applying an ozone treatment or irradiating light having a wavelength of 300 nm or less to at least one of a surface of the template having the concave portion and a core formation surface of a cladding film substrate, (3) bringing the cladding film substrate into close contact with the template, (4) filling a core forming curable resin into the concave portion of the template with which the cladding film substrate is in close contact, (5) curing the filled core forming curable resin to form a core, (6) removing the template from the cladding film substrate, and (7) forming a cladding layer on the cladding film substrate on which the core has been formed.

Abstract: A processing for producing a microlens array is provided, the process contains the steps of: producing a microlens array master by the photo-electrodeposition method or the photocatalytic method using a substrate for forming a microlens array master containing an insulating substrate having thereon an electroconductive thin film and a photosemiconductor thin film; producing a template by forming a layer of a template resin material on the surface of the master, followed by releasing; and forming a layer of a microlens array resin material having a controlled refractive index on the template, followed by releasing.

Abstract: An electrodepositing solution for low-potential electrodeposition is disclosed which is used in an electrodeposition method and a photoelectrodeposition method and which can improve the film formability under the application of a low voltage, suppress the elution of metal ions and stably form by deposition an electrodeposition film having a uniform thickness, a uniform color density and a smooth surface. The electrodepositing solution permits an electrodeposition film of an electrodeposition material to be formed by deposition on a conductive material upon application of a voltage between the conductive material and a counter electrode. The electrodeposition material contains an electropositive polymer material which contains, as at least one component thereof, a copolymer consisting of a hydrophobic monomer, a hydrophilic monomer and a plastic monomer.

Abstract: A method of forming a photo-catalytic film made of titanium oxide on a base material based on a simple process at low temperatures, particularly a method of forming a laminated material comprising photo-catalytic film of titanium oxide formed on a base material is provided. A method of forming a photo-catalytic film made of titanium oxide on a base material includes a treating process, in which photo-catalytic film of titanium oxide is formed on a base material and irradiated with UV light in vacuum or in an atmosphere of reducing gas at a temperature maintained between 25° C. and below 300° C.

Abstract: A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film based on simple process at low temperatures, particularly a method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base of plastic resins is provided. A method of reducing resistance for a conductive film formed on a base material includes a treating process, in which a conductive film made of metal oxide is formed on a base material and irradiated with UV light in vacuum or in an atmosphere of reducing gas maintaining the temperature between 25° C. and 300° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a polymer optical waveguide, comprising the steps of: preparing a mold comprising a concave portion; bringing a substrate into contact with the mold, filling the concave portion with a core-forming curable resin; curing the core-forming curable resin in the concave portion; removing the mold from the substrate; and forming a clad layer on the substrate; wherein the mold comprises a cured resin layer and a reinforcing member, the cured resin layer has the concave portion, the reinforcing member has an introduction portion which communicates with the concave portion and an injection inlet which communicates with the introduction portion, and a discharge portion which communicates with the concave portion is provided in the reinforcing member, the cured resin layer and/or a space between the cured resin layer and the reinforcing member, and a resin injecting device which is used in the process.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a color filter with a small number of processes and at low cost is provided, for which a transparent conductive film for liquid crystal driving need not be formed, a voltage drop during liquid crystal driving is restrained, and a black matrix is easily formed; an apparatus for fabricating the color filter; the color filter; and a liquid crystal display apparatus.