Laser 3D printing of expanded beam connectors for optical connectivity

Abstract

Single-mode, multi-fiber expanded-beam connectors (EBCs) were fabricated based on a two-step process using coreless glass fibers and two-photon polymerization (TTP) 3D printing technique. First, coreless glass fibers were spliced onto a single-mode fiber ribbon and then precisely laser-cleaved to the ideal length. A micro-lens array was directly laser printed onto the coreless fiber extensions using the TPP technique to create the expanded, collimated output beam.Coupling loss measurements at 1310 nm between two 3D-printed EBCs matched the results of simulations. The high spatial resolution of the TPP technique avoids cumbersome active alignment procedures, and thus enables low-cost, high-throughput optical connectivity solutions.