Method for stabilizing refractive index profiles using polymer mixtures

Abstract

A method for making an optical element comprises polymerizing a first monomer to form a first polymer, the first polymer having a spatially varying degree of cure that provides a predetermined refractive index profile; and polymerizing a second monomer in the presence of the first polymer to form a second polymer intermixed with the first polymer, the second polymer stabilizing the first polymer and the refractive index profile.

1 . An optical element comprising: 
 a first optical cover, a second optical cover, and a layer of polymeric material sandwiched between the first optical cover and the second optical cover;    wherein the polymeric material comprises a mixture of a first polymer and a second polymer, the first polymer having a spatially varying degree of cure that provides a predetermined refractive index profile, and the second polymer being cured to thereby stabilize the refractive index profile.    
     
     
         2 . The optical element of  claim 1 , in which the first and second optical covers are transparent plates.  
     
     
         3 . The optical element of  claim 1  in which the first and the second optical covers are ophthalmic lenses.  
     
     
         4 . The optical element of  claim 2  in which the first polymer and the second polymer form a pair selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate/epoxy, polyacrylate/polyvinyl ether, thiol-ene polymer/polyester, thiol-ene polymer/epoxy, and polyvinyl ether/epoxy.  
     
     
         5 . The optical element of  claim 1  in which the first polymer is selected from the group consisting of thiol-ene polymer, epoxy, polyacrylate and polyvinyl ether.  
     
     
         6 . The optical element of  claim 1  in which the second polymer is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, polyester, polyacrylate and polyvinyl ether.  
     
     
         7 . A method for making an optical element, comprising: 
 polymerizing a first monomer to form a first polymer, the first polymer having a spatially varying degree of cure that provides a predetermined refractive index profile; and    polymerizing a second monomer in the presence of the first polymer to form a second polymer intermixed with the first polymer, the second polymer stabilizing the refractive index profile.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  in which the second monomer and first polymer are sandwiched between first and second cover plates during the polymerizing of the second monomer.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  in which the first and second cover plates are ophthalmic lenses.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  in which the polymerizing of the first monomer is conducted by exposing the first monomer to a first radiation source.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  in which the first monomer comprises a photoinitiator.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  in which the polymerizing of the second monomer is conducted by exposing the second monomer to a second radiation source different from the first radiation source.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  in which the first monomer is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, thiol, ene, acrylate, vinyl ether, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7  in which the second monomer is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, acrylate, ester and vinyl ether.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7  comprising intermixing the first monomer and the second monomer prior to the polymerizing of the first monomer.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7  in which the first polymer is a thiol-ene polymer and the second polymer is selected from the group consisting of epoxy polymer and unsaturated polyester.  
     
     
         17 . A method for making an ophthalmic lens, comprising: 
 forming a mixture comprising a first monomer, a second monomer, a first photoinitiator, and a second photoinitiator;    placing the mixture between a first optical cover and a second optical cover;    exposing the mixture to a first radiation source, thereby polymerizing the first monomer to form a first polymer, the first polymer having a spatially varying degree of cure that provides a predetermined refractive index profile; and    exposing the second monomer to a second radiation source, thereby polymerizing the second monomer to form a second polymer intermixed with the first polymer.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  in which substantially all of the second monomer is consumed by the polymerizing of the second monomer.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  in which the second polymer is partially cured.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  in which the first and the second optical covers are selected from the group consisting of transparent plate, plano ophthalmic lens, single vision ophthalmic lens, bifocal ophthalmic lens, and progressive addition ophthalmic lens.