Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header

3D printed micro- and nano-optics for future integrated vision and endoscopy systems

Project description

3D printing finds its way in micro-optics

3D printing has revolutionised many industrial branches as it cuts the cost and time involved in launching new products, speeds up production, and optimises design and quality. EU-funded researchers working on the 3DPRINTEDOPTICS project will focus on finding the perfect production process to create micro-optics prototypes on-demand that are less than a micrometre in size and extremely flexible via the femtosecond laser writing technique. The ultimate aim is to produce a tinier microscope than the ones already in use at the tip of an optical fibre for unprecedented imaging accuracy.

Objective

Optics is abundant in today’s world. Smartphone cameras, optical sensors for autonomous driving, virtual and augmented reality, medical imaging technology, and many more areas all require tailored optical sensors. In most cases, the optical sensors are still based on classical optical systems. For instance, high-end cameras or high-quality endoscopes still utilize classical glass optics. The related markets have sizes of several tens of billion USD and grow with double digit rates.

For all applications, size is the limiting factor. There is a tremendous demand for imaging capabilities using optics at sizes below 1 mm, with the quality of classical optics, i.e. correction of aberrations, extremely high transmission, and broadband operation. Key features include also zooming, focusing, and f-number variation, as well as customized fields of view to realize foveated imaging and multi-aperture, multi-lens systems. Ideally, such optical systems provide 180° field of view with simultaneous zooming capabilities.

Here, we propose a novel type of micro-optics that is extremely flexible, can be created at demand, possesses unprecedented functionality, and delivers solutions to problems that could not be solved before.

The basic building block at the heart of our problem solution is the use of 3D printed microoptics by femtosecond direct laser writing. This method has all features to fulfil the above-mentioned requirements: It takes only a day from the idea to concept, optical design and simulation, and to manufacturing and testing, i.e. to generate a working prototype.

Our method will create a new class of optical elements, which enable the smallest microscope objective in the world on the tip of an optical fiber with unprecedented imaging accuracy and functionality, such as focusing and zooming capability.

Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF STUTTGART
Net EU contribution
€ 150 000,00
Address
Keplerstrasse 7
70174 Stuttgart
Germany

See on map

Region
Baden-Württemberg Stuttgart Stuttgart, Stadtkreis
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data

Beneficiaries (1)