Air-structured optical fibre drawn from a 3D-printed preform

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the fabrication of an air-structured optical fibre from a 3D-printed preform, highlighting a novel manufacturing approach that could revolutionize optical fibre production.

Contribution

It introduces a new method of creating structured optical fibres using 3D printing of polymer preforms, paving the way for future processing of various materials.

Findings

Successful drawing of optical fibre from 3D-printed preform

Potential for processing soft glasses and silica with 3D printing

Marks a milestone in optical fibre manufacturing

Abstract

A structured optical fibre is drawn from a 3D-printed structured preform. Preforms containing a single ring of holes around the core are fabricated using filament made from a modified butadiene polymer. More broadly, 3D printers capable of processing soft glasses, silica and other materials are likely to come on line in the not-so distant future. 3D printing of optical preforms signals a new milestone in optical fibre manufacture.