3D nanoprinting paves the way for next-generation photonic devices

June 4, 2024Reviewed by Lexie Corner

In a recent article published in Light: science and applications, team of researchers from The Institute of Applied Physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in collaboration with researchers at Nokia Bell Labs, has developed a free-standing spatial mode photonic beacon (de-)multiplexer. It was created by applying direct laser writing to the tip of an optical fiber using the 3D nanoprinting technique.

Optical waves flowing through air or multimode fiber can be modeled or decomposed using orthogonal spatial modes, which have a wide range of applications in imaging, communications, and directed energy. However, the systems that perform these changes in the face of the wave are large, limiting their use to high-end applications.

According to recent research, the construction of a free-standing spatial (de-)multiplexer photonic micro-beacon using 3D nanoprinting represents a significant achievement in photonic technology.

Distinguished by its compact size, small footprint, and the ability to directly print and attach to photonic circuits, optical fibers, and optoelectronic components (such as lasers and photodetectors), this spatial multiplexer opens up new opportunities for system integration and technology implementation in future high-bandwidth and complex communication systems. imaging methods.

Photonic beacons can convert between a series of separate single-mode optical signals and optical waves with mode superposition or distorted wavefronts. This technology is a strong candidate to provide future spatial division multiplexing (SDM) in high-bandwidth optical communications networks. It can also be used for imaging and other applications where spatial manipulation of optical waves is necessary.

Using high-contrast waveguides combined with 3D nanoprinting capabilities, researchers have created a small, flexible device that can be printed on almost any hard surface with high fidelity and high accuracy, allowing for seamless integration into a wide range of products. technological contexts.

Integrating the roughly 100-micrometer device into microscale photonic systems is extremely difficult because it differs significantly from standard photonic beacons, which rely on weakly guiding waveguides ranging from millimeter to centimeter in length.

The development of this free-standing spatial-mode (de-)multiplexer of a microscale photonic beacon represents a significant advance in our ability to enable and adopt spatial multiplexing for a variety of optical systems and applications. This breakthrough makes space division multiplexing technology much more accessible and amenable to integration, opening up new possibilities for optical communications and imaging applications, just to name a few.

Dan Marom, Professor, Institute of Applied Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The researchers designed a 375-µm six-mode mixing photonic beacon that can combine six single-mode inputs into one six-mode waveguide using genetic algorithms, then placed it on the fiber tip and characterized it. Despite its small size, the device is characterized by low wavelength sensitivity, low insertion loss (-2.6 dB), and low polarization and mode-dependent losses (-0.2 dB and -4.4 dB, respectively).

Magazine number:

Dana, Y., et al. (2024) Free-standing microscale spatial mode photonic beacon (De-)multiplexer fabricated using 3D nanoprinting. Light: science and applications. doi:10.1038/s41377-024-01466-6