Hot-embossing replication of self-centering optical fiber alignment structures prototyped by deep proton writing

Evert Ebraert; Markus Wissmann; Markus Guttmann; Alexander Kolew; Matthias Worgull; Nicole Barié; Marc Schneider; Andreas Hofmann; Stefano Beri; Jan Watté; Hugo Thienpont; Jürgen Van Erps

doi:10.1117/1.OE.55.7.076112

22 July 2016 Hot-embossing replication of self-centering optical fiber alignment structures prototyped by deep proton writing

Evert Ebraert, Markus Wissmann, Markus Guttmann, Alexander Kolew, Matthias Worgull, Nicole Barié, Marc Schneider, Andreas Hofmann, Stefano Beri, Jan Watté, Hugo Thienpont, Jürgen Van Erps

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 55, Issue 7, 076112 (July 2016). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.55.7.076112

Abstract

This paper presents the hot-embossing replication of self-centering fiber alignment structures for high-precision, single-mode optical fiber connectors. To this end, a metal mold insert was fabricated by electroforming a polymer prototype patterned by means of deep proton writing (DPW). To achieve through-hole structures, we developed a postembossing process step to remove the residual layer inherently present in hot-embossed structures. The geometrical characteristics of the hot-embossed replicas are compared, before and after removal of the residual layer, with the DPW prototypes. Initial measurements on the optical performance of the replicas are performed. The successful replication of these components paves the way toward low-cost mass replication of DPW-fabricated prototypes in a variety of high-tech plastics.

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Evert Ebraert, Markus Wissmann, Markus Guttmann, Alexander Kolew, Matthias Worgull, Nicole Barié, Marc Schneider, Andreas Hofmann, Stefano Beri, Jan Watté, Hugo Thienpont, and Jürgen Van Erps "Hot-embossing replication of self-centering optical fiber alignment structures prototyped by deep proton writing," Optical Engineering 55(7), 076112 (22 July 2016). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.OE.55.7.076112

Published: 22 July 2016

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