The future of short-range high-speed data transmission: printed polymer optical waveguides (POW) innovation, fabrication, and challenges

Reitberger T, Stoll T, Hoffmann GA, Lorenz L, Neermann S, Overmeyer L, Bock K, Wolter KJ, Franke J (2018)

Publication Language: English

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2018

Journal

Book Volume: Proc. SPIE 10751, Optics and Photonics for Information Processing XII

Article Number: 1075109

DOI: 10.1117/12.2318752

Abstract

One of today’s megatrends in the industrial environment is additive manufacturing. Faster prototyping, customized products like hearing devices, integrated functions like heatsinks and many other opportunities are offered by this technological development. The opportunity of using different materials and build up 3-D structures is virtually infinite. Another one is the digitalization of almost any product to build up a smart world. This trend leads to a tremendously rising amount of data to be transferred from one place to another. If a wireless transmission is not possible and if the distance is over 100 m glass fiber is the fastest and most secure way for these requirements. In case of most short-range applications up to 100 m primary copper cables or circuit paths are in use because the electrical data transfer is well known. The limited bandwidth of copper asks for new inventions to meet the demands of tomorrow. Regarding both megatrends, the solution for this upcoming bottleneck could be 3-D printed photonic packages. This paper shows a new and innovative way for the customized fabricating of short-range data transmission networks. By Aerosol Jet Printing (AJP) the so called polymer optical waveguides (POW), it is possible to build up 3-D printed light guiding structures with low attenuation on almost any three-dimensional surface. The main advantages of the here presented research are high flexibility, low weight and low costs. After three years of intensive studies the most important key facts (machine settings, geometry, performance) are summarized in this publication.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Technische Universität Dresden Germany (DE) Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) Germany (DE) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Reitberger, T., Stoll, T., Hoffmann, G.-A., Lorenz, L., Neermann, S., Overmeyer, L.,... Franke, J. (2018). The future of short-range high-speed data transmission: printed polymer optical waveguides (POW) innovation, fabrication, and challenges. Proceedings of SPIE, Proc. SPIE 10751, Optics and Photonics for Information Processing XII. https://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2318752

MLA:

Reitberger, Thomas, et al. "The future of short-range high-speed data transmission: printed polymer optical waveguides (POW) innovation, fabrication, and challenges." Proceedings of SPIE Proc. SPIE 10751, Optics and Photonics for Information Processing XII (2018).

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