Micro-lens aperture array for enhanced thin-film imaging using luminescent concentrators

We present a 300 µm thick optical Söller collimator realized by X-ray lithography on a PMMA wafer which, when paired with luminescent concentrator films, forms the first complete prototype of a short-distance, flexible, scalable imaging system that is less than 1 mm thick. We describe two ways of increasing the light-gathering ability of the collimator by using hexagonal aperture cells and embedded micro-lenses, evaluate a new micro-lens aperture array (MLAA) for proof of concept, and analyze the optical imaging properties of flexible MLAAs when realized as thin films.