3D Nanoprinting Facilitates Communication with Light

Tiny Beam-shaping Elements Couple Optical Microchips – Publication in Nature Photonics

Mikrolinsen und Mikrospiegel lassen sich mit 3D-Nanodruck auf optischen Fasern und Mikrochips herstellen. (Abbildung: Philipp-Immanuel Dietrich/Florian Rupp/Paul Abaffy, KIT) — Microlenses and micromirrors can be produced on optical fibers and microchips by 3D nanoprinting. This considerably facilitates assembly of photonic systems. (Fig-ure: Philipp-Immanuel Dietrich/Florian Rupp/Paul Abaffy, KIT)

At Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), researchers have developed a flexible and efficient concept to combine optical components in compact systems. They use a high-resolution 3D printing process to produce tiny beam-shaping elements directly on optical microchips or fibers and, hence, enable low-loss coupling. This approach replaces complicated positioning processes that represent a high obstacle to many applications today. The scientists present their concept in the Nature Photonics journal (DOI: 10.1038/s41566-018-0133-4).

Full Text: Press Release 032/2018

or, 27.03.2018