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11. May 2018

Printing and forming of optical waveguides

ITA | In future, printed optical waveguides will be used for multimedia transmission in cars and aeroplanes. The requirements are correspondingly large bandwidths and three-dimensional forming. DFG approves another three years of research of OPTAVER research group, in which scientists from ITA and LZH work together with fellows from Nuremberg, Erlangen and Dresden.

In the research group Optical Assembly and Connection Technology for Optical Bus Systems  (OPTAVER), researchers of the Institute of Transport and Automation Technology (ITA) are investigating the printing process for optical networks using an industrial printing machine. In cooperation with the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH), they want to adapt their research results for an application on three-dimensional objects: The optical waveguides that are printed on foils are formed by a thermoforming machine for three-dimensional circuit carriers. 
The researchers want to realize bandwidths which can supply an aeroplane with more than 300 passengers with a 4K video signal. To realize this large amount of data, they want to integrate the polymer optical waveguides (POW) into the later component. The POWs are formed by heating the foil with the printed waveguides in a thermoforming machine to forming temperature and by forming it by a vacuum into the later shape.

by Gerd-Albert Hoffmann

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At a glance

  • Strategy for printing optical waveguides shows good results
  • DFG approves another three years of research
  • Higher data rates achievable
  • Thermoforming of optical waveguides
ITA_Lichtwellenleiter_Bild1_01
Printing mould for optical networks: On a flexographic printing machine, transparent acrylic varnish is sprayed on a foil substrate first. (Photo: ITA)
ITA_Lichtwellenleiter_Bild2_eng
Waveguides of 100 µm width: The conditioned foil substrates are characterized optically. (Source: ITA)
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Enhanced process chain: The optical networks printed on foils are formed on a thermoforming machine for three-dimensional circuit carriers. (Quelle: ITA)

Contact

Gerd-Albert Hoffmann, M. Sc.

(0511) 762-3849
gerd.hoffmann@ita.uni-hannover.de
www.ita.uni-hannover.de

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