Fabrication of imaging microstructured optical fibers

Abstract

We demonstrate the fabrication of multi-core (imaging) microstructured optical fiber via soft-glass extrusion through a 3D printed die. The combination of 3D metal printing and extrusion allows for unprecedented control of the optical fiber geometry. We have exploited this to demonstrate a 100 pixel rectangular array imaging microstructured fiber. Due to the high refractive index of the glass used (n = 1.62), such a fiber can theoretically have a pixel pitch of less than 2 μm. This opens opportunities for ultra-small, high-resolution imaging fibers fabricated from diverse glass types.