Precision Optics Assembly System

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The applicants aim at a change of paradigm in optics from large and complex free-space high-performance optical setups to compact and comprehensive devices manufactured in one integrated manufacturing grid. The goal is to realize a comprehensive optics-manufacturing environment, in which discrete batch processes are combined with new hybrid multi-material additive manufacturing methods.In this context, collaborations with many partners are planned to assemble a variety of passive and active optical components to build a versatile optical platform. Within this cooperation, the applicants want to fabricate e.g. a polymer injection-molded optical platform including an electrical and thermal infrastructure where the aforementioned passive and active optical components shall be integrated. Furthermore, they will concentrate on topics like adaptive assembly and self-assembly processes for optical components and the realization of a miniaturized fibre-pumped laser oscillator based on the optical platform.To enable the aforementioned research in fabrication processes of miniaturized optical systems with multiscale feature sizes, a versatile precision-optics pick-and-place/assembly-machine combination for the pre-processing, characterization and joining of various integrated optical elements, sub-systems, and entire functional systems is needed by the applicants. This device has to provide all necessary tools and algorithms for the passive and active assembly of micro-optical components such as thin-film filters, photo- and laser-diodes, optical gratings, crystals or micro-mirrors.The size range of the components to be assembled covers several orders of magnitude from details below 1 µm up to substrate sizes of about 100 mm diameter. The assembly machine has to be able to handle these large ranges of sizes and weights of the parts. At the same time, it has to deliver a very high accuracy and precision in the 50-100 nm regime to place and join these parts for the optical coupling of e.g. laser-diodes to optical fibres or miniaturized filters to waveguides on optical chips. On one hand, the machine has to be flexible enough to allow for the research and development of the different assembly steps. On the other hand, it must be possible to integrate the machine at a later stage into the planned autonomous manufacturing grid to work together with different manufacturing machines and processes on the same optical systems. Apart from this, the machine must provide a transparent access to its sensor and process data of running assembly processes and allow external programs to influence the assembly process for the research of adaptive assembly procedures.The proposed assembly system will be broadly utilized by the groups of the five main users and a number of additional collaborators. It will be located in a common infrastructure for optimal access and operation. Operation and service will be organized on a single group level coordinated by the applicants.