Novel Multiple Materials Additive Manufacturing Instrument for New Generation of Optical fibre Fabrication

In this proposal we will design, fabricate and employ a novel multiple materials additive manufacturing (MMAM) equipment
to enable us to make optical fibre preforms (both in conventional and microstructured fibre geometries) in silica and other
host glass materials. In existing low-loss fibre preform fabrication methods, based on either chemical vapour deposition
technique for conventional solid index guiding fibres or 'stack and draw' process for micro-structured fibre, it is very difficult
to control composition in 3D. Our proposed MMAM can be utilised to produce complex preforms, which is otherwise too
difficult or time consuming or currently impossible to achieve by the existing fabrication techniques. This will open up a
route to manufacture novel fibre structures in silica and other glasses for a wide range of applications, covering from
telecommunications, sensing, lab-in-a-fibre, metamaterial fibre, to high-power laser, and subsequently we are expected to
gain significant economic growth in the future.

The project is expected to have a wide range of impact, ranging from generation of new scientific knowledge to
commercial, through ultimately to providing true benefits to the society at large. The result of this research will be
considerable interest to both academia and industry working in the area of optoelectronics, photonics components and
additive manufacturing.
UK is recognised as a stronghold of optical fibre technology and fibre laser technology around the world. Development of
new generation of special fibres and their large scale manufacturing capability will extend the impact of optical fibres
beyond telecommunications, as diverse as defence, industrial processing, energy, healthcare, security and environmental
monitoring arenas and develop new applications in basic science. The UK economy has major players in all these fields.
Fibre lasers are rapidly replacing the other type of more conventional lasers with worldwide sales in excess of $600M and a
predicted annual growth rate of 20 - 40%. UK holds 10% of the global market for fibre laser. SPI lasers and Fianium are
leaders in industrial fibre lasers and ultrafast fibre lasers. Both are dependent on special fibres for fibre lasers. Fibrecore
markets speciality optical fibres. Thus major improvement in fibre performance will enable UK companies to expand their
product portfolio and increase their market penetration and share.
In order to sustain the growth of fibre-based technology and to extend the impact of optical fibres in many other important
areas our proposed advance manufacturing process of new class of special optical fibres and components is expected to
gain significant economic growth in the UK.
The project will generate new scientific knowledge and train people with new skills, specifically in AM and novel fibre
fabrication areas.