Light-Based Computing Era Enabled With 3D Printed Microoptics

We can safely say that major companies are interested in 3D printed electronics, at least from a research and development perspective. However, this may be somewhat quotidian, given what may be in store for the future—specifically, the future of computing. The team from Nanoscribe believes that we’ve essentially almost reached the limits of what’s possible with traditional microchips. Instead, according to the company’s CEO and co-founder, Martin Hermatschweiler, optical data processing and optical quantum computing represent what’s on the horizon.

“3D printing of microelectronic components can simplify manufacturing processes and provide new flexibility in circuit design. That’s really smart. However, the data processing capacity of electronics will probably soon reach hard limits,” Hermatschweiler said. “This is where optical data processing, and soon optical quantum computing, come into play. We are talking about ‘computing at the speed of light’ which requires specialized optical structures as highly efficient optical coupling elements between a range of active and passive optical components, including lasers or photodiodes, waveguides, light-based sensors, fibers, complete photonic integrated circuits (PIC), and between optical modules.”

Nanoscribe’s role in this emerging technology is the manufacturing of 3D printers capable of sub-micron scale fabrication. Driving the system is a process referred to as Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP), in which a pulsed laser is used to cure a photopolymer resin to create shapes many times smaller than the width of a human hair.

3D Printing Optoelectronics

With Nanoscribe’s Quantum X align 3D printer, 2PP technology is now being expanded to 3D print fine, complex structures onto optoelectronic components with implications for the emerging field of photonic computing.

Optoelectronics are key to countless aspects of modern devices, from the fiber optic cables that power the internet to the digital screens that populate our lives. In all of these applications, the ability to produce precise, transparent optical components with high shape accuracy is crucial. Yet, manufacturing these parts and placing them onto electronics is costly and labor-intensive.

In particular, photonic integrated circuits (PICs) may be essential to further streamlining our devices by shrinking the data processing inside. 2PP could play a role in that miniaturization through the 3D printing of optical elements directly onto PICs. For instance, in one case, 2PP was used to 3D print microscopic parts for connecting multiple fibers to a chip. In another, funnels were 3D printed to guide light into an optical fiber.

“With the new Quantum X align, we print perfectly aligned microoptical structures directly onto active and passive components as fibers and chips, thereby reducing coupling losses. In the future of photonics assembly, the costly, active alignment of the components and assemblies will be replaced by aligned 3D printing and pick & place processes with relaxed accuracies,” Hermatschweiler explained.

Real-World Applications of 3D Printed Photonics

The idea of 3D printing tiny elements onto specialty circuits may sound quite abstract, but the implications could directly affect our lives. Just one example is the HandheldOCT project, led by the Medical University of Vienna and funded in part by the European Union. Together, a collection of researchers from universities, institutes, and companies, among them Nanoscribe, are developing a handheld imaging device that relies on low-cost, miniaturized PICs.

If successful, the project could see handheld devices used to diagnose and monitor the treatment of such the leading causes of blindness worldwide: glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. Key to the technology will be the use of 2PP to 3D print optical elements for the photonic chips used in the HandheldOCT device. This is just one example of the ability of photonics to miniaturize sensing devices. Once applicable here, it could be expanded to a range of mobile diagnostic tools.

It is still early days for both optical computing and 3D printing in that nascent sector, but Nanoscribe partner PHIX B.V. Photonics Assembly is kicking things off by offering an assembly service for lensed fibers based using Nanoscribe’s new Quantum X align machine.