Method and apparatus for compression moulding glass microlens arrays

A method and apparatus is disclosed for compression molding an array of optical elements which may be separated later by cutting. The apparatus includes first and second mold halves (102,104) with the second mold half (104) having a central nest cavity (112) and a plurality of predetermined negative optical surface features (110) therein. A glass preform (114) is placed in the central nest (112) and the first and second mold halves and the glass preform are heated to at least the glass transition temperature of the glass preform. The glass preform is then pressed between the first and second mold halves to thereby form an integral array of optical elements with each of the optical elements being a positive of the predetermined negative optical surface features. The integrally formed array of optical elements is then cooled to below the glass transition temperature and removed from the first and second mold halves.