Fabrication of Micro-Optics for Diode Lasers and Amplifiers Using Ink-Jet Technology

Microjet printing methods were explored for in situ fabrication of micro-optical elements for use with diode laser and amplifier systems. Fabrication capabilities were demonstrated for hemispherical, hemielliptical and square microlenses, as small as 100 um, with dimensional tolerances of better tha...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cox, W. R, Hayes, Don J, Chen, Ting, Ussery, Daryl, MacFarlane, Duncan
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ADHESIVES
AMPLIFIERS
ARRAYS
COUPLING(INTERACTION)
DIODE LASERS
FABRICATION
FIBER OPTICS
FOCAL PLANES
INK JET PRINTING
INKS
LENGTH
LENSES
LIGHT
MICROJET PRINTERS
MICROLENSES
MICROOPTICS
NUMERICAL APERTURE
OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
OPTICAL MATERIALS
Optics
PE65502F
POLYMERS
Printing and Graphic Arts
PRINTING EQUIPMENT
ROOM TEMPERATURE
SIZES(DIMENSIONS)
STATE OF THE ART
TOLERANCE
WUPL3005COCJ
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Description
Summary:Microjet printing methods were explored for in situ fabrication of micro-optical elements for use with diode laser and amplifier systems. Fabrication capabilities were demonstrated for hemispherical, hemielliptical and square microlenses, as small as 100 um, with dimensional tolerances of better than 2%. Microlenses were printed onto the tips of optical fibers, to increase their numerical apertures for light collection and with dye-diode formulations to create fluorescing, potentially lasing lenslet arrays. The optical material used ranged from optical adhesives dispensed at room temperature to optical resins and index-tuned thermoplastics printed at temperatures up to 200 0C. Data such as focal length and focal plane power distributions indicated that microjet printed microlenses were comparable or superior in optical performance to similar lenslets fabricated by conventional methods. This project demonstrated that microjet printing technology could significantly reduce the cost of micro-optics manufacture and that it can produce very fast (f/#,