High precision micro-optical elements on fiber facets via focused-ion beam machining

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates precise, single-step fabrication of micro-optical structures directly on fiber cores using focused ion beam machining, enabling advanced quantum optics applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel FIB-based method for creating high-precision, integrated micro-optical elements on fiber facets with preserved optical quality.

Findings

Achieved shape accuracies of λ/80 and λ/50 for spherical surfaces.

Confirmed expected far-field patterns for spiral and axicon structures.

Maintained optical-grade surface quality with no measurable roughness increase.

Abstract

Fiber-integrated micro-optical elements promise a scalable approach to photon collection and beam shaping for quantum information processing. Here, we demonstrate single-step fabrication of micro-spherical, micro-spiral, and micro-axicon structures directly on the core of single-mode optical fibers using focused ion beam (FIB) machining with nanometer-scale precision. Atomic force microscopy reveals that micro-concave and micro-convex spherical surfaces achieve shape accuracies of approximately $\lambda/80$ and $\lambda/50$ at $\lambda = 780$ nm, respectively. Optical characterization using a He-Ne laser at 633 nm confirms the expected far-field donut beam patterns for the micro-spiral and micro-axicon structures. Mach-Zehnder interferometry further verifies the corresponding azimuthal and radial phase profiles of the light emitted from the spiral and axicon fibers. Surface metrology shows that the optimized FIB process preserves optical-grade surface quality, introducing no measurable additional roughness at spatial scales relevant to visible and near-infrared operation. These monolithically integrated fiber micro-optical elements enable a broad range of applications in quantum technology, including fiber micro-cavities for cavity quantum electrodynamics, beam shaping for neutral atom trapping, and the generation of structured light for free-space quantum network links.