OPTICAL ELEMENT MANUFACTURING METHOD

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical element manufacturing method which can increase production efficiency by cutting light irradiation time, in the case that the size of a lens or a photo-setting resin is small. SOLUTION: The irradiation area variable optical system 4 converts incident parallel rays 5a to irradiation light 5b of fluxes of different sizes, and a specified amount (ideally, the total amount) of the incident light flux is always emitted as the irradiation rays. Therefore, the reduction of the irradiation area increases the density of the amount of irradiation light in inverse proportion to the irradiation area. As indicated in (a) and (b), the irradiation area of the irradiation light 5b is changed to the size of the lens 1 or the photo-setting resin 2 by adjusting the irradiation area multiple variation optical system 4. Consequently, in the case that the size of the lens 1 or the photo-setting resin 2 is small, as indicated in (b), the density of the amount of irradiation light becomes higher by size reduction and thereby, the curing of the photo-setting resin 2 in a short time and the ensuing increase of the production efficiency can be achieved. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT