DLW-printed optical fiber micro-connector kit for effective light coupling in optical prototyping

• Published in: Optik (Stuttgart) Vol. 201; p. 163350
• Main Authors: Pisarenko, A.V., Zvagelsky, R.D., Kolymagin, D.A., Katanchiev, B.V., Vitukhnovsky, A.G., Chubich, D.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier GmbH 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Direct Laser Writing; Light coupling into fiber; Micro-connector; Micro-lens; Multicore fiber; 99-00; Multicore fiber; Light coupling into fiber; 00-01; Direct Laser Writing; Micro-lens; Micro-connector
• ISSN: 0030-4026; 1618-1336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijleo.2019.163350

Microoptics opens up new opportunities for effective transformation of the radiation wavefront at the needed position using optical fiber. Here we discuss the use of a micro-connector kit for relative positioning of an optical fiber with nanometer accuracy. A single technological process of the DLW-lithography (Direct Laser Writing) to create all optical elements of the kit: optical fiber micro-connector and micro-lens, is used to solve the key problem of the precise alignment of optical elements. Micro-lens assisted single-mode fiber with high light coupling efficiency is demonstrated. Further improvement of this light coupling kit is based on aligned micro-lens array combined with multi-core optical fiber (MCF), where each micro-lens is located directly opposite to its own core. Nanometer accuracy of micro-lenses location could be achieved due to proposed and demonstrated printing process. Such kit significantly improves performance of optical instruments for spatially resolved spectroscopy. One of the possible important applications of MCF-based light coupling kit with individual lens design for each core is a real-time 3D-imaging. Moreover, parallel multi-beam laser processing with such kit is of great importance.