Design and fabrication of fiber optic microlenses using an arc fusion splicing system

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel, efficient method for fabricating diverse fiber optic microlenses using an arc fusion splicer, verified through simulations and experiments, enabling precise control over lens parameters for various applications.

Contribution

Introduces a new fabrication approach for fiber microlenses using an arc fusion splicer with verified simulation and experimental results, demonstrating versatility and control.

Findings

Achieved beam radii from 2.7 to 23.5 micrometers.

Focal lengths ranged from 12 to 787 micrometers.

Method is adaptable to various fiber types.

Abstract

In this study, we introduce a new approach to fabricating fiber optic microlenses using a three-electrode arc fusion splicer. Through beam propagation method-based simulations, we verified the performance of our lenses, achieving highly consistent results across both simulations and experiments. We fabricated three distinctive microlens types: ball-type, fiber tip, and ball-type on a tapered fiber, demonstrating versatility in lens shape and function. By precisely adjusting lens designs, we achieved beam radii between 2.7 um and 23.5 um, with focal lengths spanning from 12 um to 787 um. Our method offers robust control over lens geometry, enabling tailored beam parameters for specific applications. This technique is efficient, cost-effective, and adaptable to various optical fibers, including multimode and polarization-maintaining, highlighting its potential for broader optical and photonic applications.