Femtosecond Laser Waveguide Fabrication and Glass Processing
Photonic Integrated Circuits
Technical Scope and Capabilities
This service provides an integrated fabrication and characterisation platform for photonic integrated circuits based on femtosecond laser processing in transparent materials, particularly glass substrates. It enables rapid prototyping of embedded optical waveguides and 3D photonic structures for telecom and sensing applications.
Femtosecond Laser Fabrication
The service provides
- fabrication of optical waveguides in glass using ultrafast laser inscription
- 3D structuring capability for complex photonic architectures
- control of refractive-index modification and waveguide geometry.
Selective Laser Processing and Structuring
The service provides
- fibre insertion structures fabricated using selective laser etching technology
- bulk glass structuring using bottom-up fabrication approaches for custom PIC substrates
- precision cutting and shaping of glass components.
Post-Processing
The service may include CO₂ laser polishing for surface-quality improvement and optical finishing, if required.
PIC Integration
The service supports
- fabrication of waveguides inside pre-structured PIC substrates
- integration-ready geometries for fibre coupling and hybrid photonic systems.
Optical Characterisation
The service includes
- waveguide performance evaluation, including transmission efficiency and propagation losses
- beam profile and mode-field characterisation
- testing using telecom wavelength sources in the 1529–1560 nm range.
Infrastructure
Processing is performed using ultrafast laser systems combined with precision motion control and dedicated optical characterisation setups. The infrastructure supports fabrication and testing within a unified experimental workflow.
Target Audience and Possible Clients
The service is intended for
- start-ups developing novel PIC concepts, optical interconnects or sensing technologies
- SMEs seeking custom photonic components without investing in fabrication infrastructure
- academic institutions working on integrated optics, nonlinear photonics or lab-on-chip systems.
Service Delivery Mode
The service delivery modes are
- small-batch prototyping
- technology consulting through one-to-one sessions to develop testing plans and assess technical feasibility for PIC architectures
- training for industry engineers on equipment operation.
Service Delivery Terms and Times
A mandatory technology testing plan is developed for each client, explicitly defining the scope, timing and technical milestones of the prototyping run.
Possible Restrictions
The service is limited to small-batch prototyping and research. It is not intended for mass or high-volume manufacturing.