Fabrication of micro-optical devices by self-guiding photopolymerization in the near IR

Micropillars and microlenses, integrated at the end of optical fibers, were fabricated by microfabrication by direct photopolymerization in the near-IR (NIR) region (700-950 nm). They were built by self-guiding polymerization using the NIR-light emerging from the optical fiber. The aim is to demonstrate that photopolymer material can be used to fabricate micro-optical devices by a single step process utilizing NIR activation. The material and process described here fulfill the requirements for a simple and fast implementation of micro-optics onto NIR sources.