Ink-Jet Printing of Lensed Fiber for Optical Interconnects

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a new method for fabricating lensed fibers used in optical interconnects. An inkjet printing technique will be used to print optical polymers onto the tips of optical fibers, directly or via collets, to form microlenses. The output beam characteristics of these monolithic devices will be collimated or focused, depending on the specific designs. The low material/part cost and the self-aligning feature will result in lower cost than current collimation/focusing methods that use ball lens and GRIN lens assemblies. The performance will be similar. Inkjet printing is precise, data-driven, and direct-write. This technique will be suitable for low cost/high volume production.