3D Printed Glass Sensors on Optical Fiber for Enhanced Connectivity

3D Printed Glass Sensors on Optical Fiber for Enhanced Connectivity
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) May 16, 2024

Researchers in Sweden have achieved a breakthrough in communications by 3D printing silica glass micro-optics on optic fibers, as small as a human hair. This development could enhance internet speed, connectivity, and lead to smaller sensors and imaging systems.

According to a study published in ACS Nano, KTH Royal Institute of Technology researchers say integrating silica glass optical devices with optical fibers can lead to innovations like more sensitive remote sensors for environmental and healthcare applications. The techniques reported may also benefit pharmaceutical and chemical production.

KTH Professor Kristinn Gylfason explains that their method overcomes challenges in structuring optical fiber tips with silica glass, which usually need high temperatures that damage temperature-sensitive fiber coatings. Their process starts with a carbon-free base material, eliminating the need for high temperatures to achieve transparency.

Lead author Lee-Lun Lai notes that their 3D printed silica glass sensor is more resilient than standard plastic-based sensors after multiple measurements. "We demonstrated a glass refractive index sensor integrated onto the fiber tip that allowed us to measure the concentration of organic solvents. This measurement is challenging for polymer-based sensors due to the corrosiveness of the solvents," Lai says.

The study's co-author, Po-Han Huang, adds, "These structures are so small you could fit 1,000 of them on the surface of a grain of sand, which is about the size of sensors being used today."

The researchers also showcased a technique for printing nanogratings, ultra-small patterns at the nanometer scale, used to manipulate light precisely and with potential applications in quantum communication.

Gylfason emphasizes the significance of their work in 3D printing arbitrary glass structures directly on fiber tips, opening new possibilities in photonics. "By bridging the gap between 3D printing and photonics, the implications of this research are far-reaching, with potential applications in microfluidic devices, MEMS accelerometers and fiber-integrated quantum emitters," he says.

Research Report:3D Printing of Glass Micro-Optics with Subwavelength Features on Optical Fiber Tips