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It is reported that researchers from the National Research Council of Canada reported on the use of fuzzy tomography technology to print high-quality microoptical devices in 3D. The study was published in Optica under the title "Micro-optics fabrication using blurred tomography".
The scientists demonstrated the process of using tomographic additive manufacturing (VAM) technology to fabricate millimeter-scale optical components. The capability of this method was demonstrated by printing plano-convex optical lenses, and its imaging performance was comparable to that of commercially available glass lenses. In addition, due to the inherent free-form design nature of VAMs, the researchers demonstrated double-sided fabrication of double-convex lens arrays and demonstrated for the first time the overprinting of lenses on optical fibers using this printing method. This VAM approach will pave the way for low-cost, rapid prototyping of freeform optics.
Figure 1: Researchers have developed a new 3D printing method called fuzzy tomography that enables the rapid production of microlenses with commercial-grade optical quality. Using this technique, they printed an array of microlenses, as shown in the figure, which was held by tweezers.
This new approach can make it easier and faster to design and manufacture a wide range of optical devices.
According to Daniel Webber of the National Research Council of Canada, they deliberately applied optical blurring in the beam of this 3D printing method to create precision optical components, which makes the production of optically smooth surfaces possible.
In their study, they used this method to create a one-millimeter-sized plano-convex optical lens with similar imaging performance to commercial glass lenses. They also showed that this approach can create ready-to-use optics in as little as 30 minutes.
Volumetric additive manufacturing is a relatively new manufacturing method that uses projected light to cure a photosensitive resin in a specific area. It can print the entire part in one go without any support structure.
Figure 2: Picture of a microlens array being printed.
Optical components are expensive to manufacture because normal lenses require strict technical specifications and the manufacturing process is complex and time-consuming. Fuzzy tomography allows for the creation of free-form designs in a low-cost manner. As the technology matures, it can prototype new optical devices faster.
Manufacture of miniature lenses
To test this new method, the researchers first fabricated a simple plano-convex lens and demonstrated that it has imaging resolution comparable to that of commercial glass lenses of the same physical size. It also exhibits micron-scale shape errors, sub-nanometer surface roughness, and a point spread function close to that of glass lenses.
Figure 3: The new technology uses a custom-made projection lens to blur the laser beam used to cure the photosensitive resin. This results in an optically smooth surface, which makes it possible to print commercial-quality lenses, as shown in the lower left image.
They also fabricated a 3x3 microlens array using fuzzy tomography and compared it to an array printed using conventional tomography 3D printing technology. It was found that arrays printed with traditional methods could not image business cards due to large surface roughness, but arrays printed with fuzzy tomography did. In addition, the researchers demonstrated the overprinting of a spherical lens onto an optical fiber, which was previously only possible with additive manufacturing techniques such as two-photon polymerization.
Figure 4: Creating a smooth surface with fuzzy tomography.
Figure 5: Comparison of image performance between glass and 3D printed lenses.
Figure 6: Microlens arrays printed using fuzzy tomography.
Figure 7: Overprinting a ball lens on an optical fiber.
Currently, they are working to improve component accuracy by optimizing light patterning methods and incorporating material parameters into the printing process. They also wanted to automate print times so that the system was robust enough for commercial use.
According to Webb, tomographic 3D printing is a rapidly maturing field that is being used in many application areas. This study adds a fast, low-cost alternative to optical fabrication technology, which has the potential to have an impact on future technologies.
Paper Links:
Daniel Webber et al, Micro-optics fabrication using blurred tomography, Optica (2024). DOI: 10.1364/OPTICA.519278
https://doi.org/10.1364/OPTICA.519278
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