SBIR-STTR Award

3D Lithography of Thick Photopolymers for Imaging and Photonic Crystal Waveguides
Award last edited on: 5/2/2019

Sponsored Program
STTR
Awarding Agency
NSF
Total Award Amount
$699,982
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
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Principal Investigator
Jacob L Kuykendall

Company Information

Zenwa Inc (AKA: Holographic Network Solutions)

25 Hampshire Street
Sudbury, MA 01776
   N/A
   contact@zenwa.net
   www.zenwa.net

Research Institution

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Phase I

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase I year
2006
Phase I Amount
$199,992
The Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project will result in the demonstration of an innovative new form of 3D lithography to be used for fabricating imaging arrays and photonic-crystal waveguides in thick photopolymers that are cheaper, higher performance, lighter, more flexible and have capabilities that are not currently possible with current "stack and draw" manufacturing. Thick photopolymers respond to 3D optical exposure with a self-developing index structure, typically proportional to absorbed energy. Traditional mask-projection lithography cannot address these thick volumes. In this project, the image of the mask is projected perpendicular to the surface of the polymer and translated through an arbitrarily long polymer sample. An unchanging mask will write translational-invariant waveguide arrays or photonic crystal fibers. These photonic crystal fibers do not require large index contrast, matching the properties of photopolymers. Dynamic masks including spatial light modulators or mask rotations extend the capability to complex waveguides with adiabatic variations along their length. The proposed project will evaluate the potential properties of the guided-wave structures, their capabilities for lightweight heads-up displays, and will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed lithography method. The imaging arrays have significant commercial potential as replacements for current endoscopes, fiber faceplates and image converters. The proposed technology is also enabling for new market applications including inexpensive eye monitoring for public safety applications, wearable gaze tracking for human-computer interface for cursor control, market studies, and control of wheel chairs for the handicapped. The technology also has application for military applications for the fabrication of non-intrusive, eyeglass frame embedded heads-up displays. PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH: (Showing: 1 - 6 of 6). Amy C. Sullivan, Robert R. McLeod. "3D Tapered Waveguides in Volume Photopolymers," Integrated Photonics and Nanophotonics Research and Applications, OSA Technical Digest, 2007, p. ITuA7. R. R. McLeod, M. S. Kirchner, K. Kamysiak, A. C. Sullivan, M.C. Cole. "3D waveguides with fiber couplers and 90 degree bends in holographic photopolymer," Proceedings of SPIE, v.6657, 2007, p. 66570F. R. R. McLeod, M.W. Grabowski, M.C. Cole. "Impact of inhibitor diffusion in holographic photopolymers," Proc. SPIE Int. Soc. Opt. Eng., v.6657, 2007, p. , 665703. Robert R. McLeod, Matthew S. Kirchner, Amy C. Sullivan. "3D micro-optic circuits in holographic photopolymer," OSA Topical Meeting on Controlling Light with Light: Photorefractive Effects, Photosensitivity, Fiber Gratings, Photonic Materials and More, 2007, Sullivan, AC; Grabowski, MW; McLeod, RR. "Three-dimensional direct-write lithography into photopolymer," APPLIED OPTICS, v.46, 2007, p. 295 - 301. Sullivan, AC; McLeod, RR. "Tomographic reconstruction of weak, replicated index structures embedded in a volume," OPTICS EXPRESS, v.15, 2007, p. 14202 - 14212

Phase II

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase II year
2008
Phase II Amount
$499,990
This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project will culminate in a new form of 3D lithography capable of fabricating imaging arrays and photonic-crystal waveguides that are cheaper, higher performance, lighter, more flexible and have capabilities not currently possible with current ?stack and draw? manufacturing. For example, by directly fabricating these parts at the micron scale, perturbations such as global scaling (to implement magnifying arrays), global rotation (to implement image inverters) or local scaling (to implement modal tapers or integrated lenslets) can be created in a single process step. Unlike current methods which must draw out a minimum of km from a preform, here single parts can be cm in length. The imaging arrays have significant commercial potential as replacements for current endoscopes, fiber face plates and image inverters. They also enable new markets including inexpensive eye monitoring for clinical and public safety applications, wearable gaze-tracking for human-computer interface for paralysis victims, and ultra lightweight heads-up displays for military and consumer entertainment. The team will develop both the lithography and materials to create these all-polymer imaging cables. The transport and manipulation of optical images is ubiquitous but nearly uniformly implemented with delicate, rigid lens trains. Discrete imaging devices such as fiber bundles are sufficient for modern digital displays and cameras and are naturally robust, but currently limited by cost and capability. By enabling flexible, lightweight transport of discrete images, the results will impact ? Education, Medical and Biological Research and Macular Degeneration. The Phase I including supplementary funding has partially funded 7graduate, 1 post-doc and two undergraduate students. An exchange of graduate students with Dublin Ireland extended this impact. The lithography system has been used in multiple undergraduate class projects and for multiple cross-disciplinary graduate research programs. Disposable endoscopes with high resolution, small diameter and large field of view exceed current capabilities at much lower costs. Zenwa has signed a collaborative agreement with the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute to develop a lightweight customized image delivery system to restore sight to the severely vision impaired.