Patent ID: 7704418

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an optical element, comprising: providing a replication tool comprising (i) a negative structural feature defined in a replication side of the replication tool, the negative structural feature defining the shape of the optical element, and (ii) a peripheral feature formed in the replication side of the replication tool adjacent the negative structural feature, the peripheral feature being an edge surrounding the negative structural feature; disposing a predetermined volume of replication material between a substrate and the replication tool at a disposing location; moving the replication tool and the substrate toward each other until (i) the replication material is in contact with both the substrate and the replication tool and (ii) the replication material flows outward from the disposing location; causing the outward flow of the replication material to stop at the edge while the edge is kept at a distance from the substrate to confine the replication material to a predetermined area of the substrate, wherein the outward flow of the replication material stops at the edge based on (i) the predetermined volume of replication material dispensed and (ii) at least one of capillary forces acting at the edge of the replication tool or surface tension of the replication material, wherein the portion of the replication material contacting the replication tool does not flow beyond the edge; and hardening the replication material to form the optical element from the replication material attached to the substrate.