Fabrication of contact lens containing high‐performance wire grid polarizer

Abstract

Contact lenses containing high‐performance wire grid polarizers (WGPs) were fabricated. The base polymeric membrane was synthesized by copolymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 3‐[tris(trimethylsiloxy)silyl]propyl methacrylate, 1‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone, methyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. The nanopattern was formed by nanoimprint lithography using a UV‐curable rubber‐toughened epoxy resin on the base membrane. Two consecutive angled aluminium evaporations were performed on the nanopattern, followed by reactive ion etching to form the WGP. The WGP on the membrane was then covered by another layer of the base polymeric material to form the final contact lens. This membrane demonstrated high performance as a polarizer, confirmed by measuring transmittance of transverse magnetic polarized light and transverse electric polarized light. This membrane also demonstrated good performance as a contact lens in terms of modulus, water content and oxygen permeability. © 2017 Society of Chemical IndustryA contact lens containing a wire grid polarizer was fabricated. Copolymerization of HEMA, MMA, NVP, TSPMA and EGDMA was used to synthesize the base membrane for the lens. The wire grid polarizer was formed by nanoimprinting and two angled aluminium evaporation steps. The membrane thus formed has very good physical properties for use as a contact lens, as well as favorable optical properties for use as a polarizer.