3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / News / Researchers Print Tiny Optical Device onto Tip of Optical Fiber
revopoint

Researchers Print Tiny Optical Device onto Tip of Optical Fiber

October 4, 2022

Researchers have demonstrated the printing of a multi-component part onto the tip of an optical fiber, as revealed in the latest Optics Letters journal.

Just last week we saw how researchers had successfully 3D printed optical fibers capable of temperature and strain sensing. In this article, we will see how engineers are also attempting to reduce the size of traditionally bulky optical devices with small-scale additive manufacturing.

Read on to know more.

Printed mini-optics
Printed mini-optics. (Image credit: Soreq Nuclear Research Center)

The researchers from Soreq Nuclear Research Center in Israel utilized two-photon polymerization to print the miniscule device, which you can see in the image above.

Using their off-the-shelf 3D printer and an optical grade photopolymer resin, they were able to print an optical device measuring just 110 microns in height and 60 microns in diameter on the end of a single mode optical fiber.

The multi-component device includes a parabolic lens for light collimation and a helical lens that twists the light into Bessel beam.

Bessel Beam

A Bessel beam is a type of light propagation that does not diffract. The light distribution of a Bessel beam maintains a tight focus with high irradiance over great distances. Its amplitude is described by a Bessel function, hence the name. These types of beams have applications in certain types of microscopy, and other medical imaging techniques, as the beam is capable of producing higher quality images as it doesn’t diffract (spread out) at depths, unlike normal beams.

“The ability to create a Bessel beam directly from an optical fiber could be used for particle manipulation or fiber-integrated stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, a technique that produces super-resolution images,” said Shlomi Lightman, research lead at Soreq Nuclear Research Center.

“Our fabrication method could also be used to upgrade an inexpensive lens to a higher quality smart lens by printing a smart small structure on it.”

“When light comes out of the fiber, large bulky optical elements are typically used to route it to the next location. Our approach minimizes both the size and cost for this process by integrating the routing process into the fiber itself.”

Cost Effective Microscope Optics

The component itself was printed in less than 5 minutes, and the cost for both the optical fiber and printed component came in at under $100 USD, meaning a decrease in cost in the region of one order of magnitude compared to traditionally manufactured microscope objective lenses of comparable functionality.

The project was not without challenges however, as fabricating optical devices at this scale requires the utmost precision in 3D printing.

“We were able to overcome this hurdle by performing highly accurate 2D and 3D simulations before we began the fabrication process,” said Lightman. “In addition, we had to carefully think about how to integrate the optical elements with each other and then align that with the fiber core.”

After fabrication the team tested the optics and found that the low diffraction of the light beam was suitable enough for their STED microscopy requirements. In addition, it was found that despite being made from a polymer, the printed device was capable of allowing relatively high powered light though it – up to 10 MW/cm2 before the device failed.

The researchers plan to reduce the amount of polymer in the device to see if this can increase the power rating.

You can find the full paper, titled “Vortex-Bessel beam generation by 3D direct printing of an integrated multi-optical element on a fiber tip” in the Optics Letters journal, at this link.

Thermochromic
Related Story
Researchers 3D Print Thermochromic Optical Fibers for Temperature Sensing
Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
About the author | Phillip Keane
Phillip is an aerospace engineer from UK. He is a graduate of Coventry University (UK), International Space University (France) and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he studied Advanced Manufacturing at the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing.
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Latest posts

United Utilities Expands 3D Printing for Water Infrastructure Operations

United Utilities is incorporating 3D printing technology into its operations following the completion of a two-year Water Industry Printfrastructure project. The initiative, funded... read more »

News
United Utilities Expands 3D Printing for Water Infrastructure Operations

New Frontier Aerospace Successfully Tests 3D-Printed Rocket Engine

New Frontier Aerospace has completed a series of hot-fire tests of its 3D-printed Mjölnir rocket engine, the company announced from its Kent, Washington... read more »

Aerospace
New Frontier Aerospace Successfully Tests 3D-Printed Rocket Engine

FRCE Innovation Lab Creates Rapid Solution for F-35 Fleet

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) has produced 2,000 O-ring installation tools for F-35 Lightning II aircraft using 3D printing technology. The project was... read more »

Military
FRCE Innovation Lab Creates Rapid Solution for F-35 Fleet

Etsy’s New 3D Printing Restrictions: What Sellers Need to Know

Etsy has recently updated its policy regarding items in the "Made by a Seller" category, specifically clarifying rules for products created with "computerized... read more »

News

New 3D-Printing Technique Creates Dual-Material Objects from Single Resin

Researchers have developed a new Vat photopolymerization technique that creates both permanent objects and dissolvable supports in a single process. According to a... read more »

Materials
New 3D-Printing Technique Creates Dual-Material Objects from Single Resin

Northumbria Receives EU Funding for Sustainable 3D-Printed Construction Research

Northumbria University has received a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Fellowship worth over a quarter million euros to research low-carbon, 3D-printed construction materials. The... read more »

Construction
Northumbria Receives EU Funding for Sustainable 3D-Printed Construction Research

3D-Printed Sports Bra Could Help Olympic Star Break Historic Athletics Record

Nike has developed a new 3D-printed sports bra called the FlyWeb Bra for runner Faith Kipyegon's attempt to break the 4-minute mile barrier.... read more »

News
3D-Printed Sports Bra Could Help Olympic Star Break Historic Athletics Record

Vietnam Emerges in High-Tech Medicine as Vinmec Pioneers 3D-Printed Breakthroughs

Across pediatric, adult, and geriatric cases, Vietnam’s Vinmec Healthcare System's implementation of 3D printing solutions has significantly transformed patient outcomes, replacing disability with... read more »

Medical
Vietnam Emerges in High-Tech Medicine as Vinmec Pioneers 3D-Printed Breakthroughs

Johns Hopkins APL Helps Navy Overcome Metal 3D Printing Reliability Concerns

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) are working with the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to address reliability concerns with... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Johns Hopkins APL Helps Navy Overcome Metal 3D Printing Reliability Concerns

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • QIDI Plus4

    • - Print size: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
    • - print temperature of 370°C
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • Snapmaker Artisan Premium 3-in-1

    • - Print size: 400 x 400 x 400 mm
    • - comes with enclosure
    More details »
    $2,999.00 Snapmaker
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech X-Max 3

    • - Print size: 325 x 325 x 315 mm
    • - fully enclosed
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2025 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing