Design of microlens illuminated aperture array fabricated by aligned ultraviolet imprinting process for optical read only memory card system

A microlens illuminated aperture array (MLIAA) was designed for the multiprobe optical read only memory card system. As a method to integrate the microlens array (MLA) with the aperture array containing $1000×1000$ apertures, an aligned ultraviolet imprinting process was used to satisfy the system objectives of reduced focal length and reduced spot size. An analysis using diffraction theory was performed to obtain the design tolerances for both MLIAA and the imprinting process. The maximum intensity of the optical probes at the Talbot [Philos. Mag. 9, 401 (1836)] position from the fabricated MLIAA was 12 times higher than that from the aperture array without a MLA.