A plug-and-play platform for self-aligning 3D-printed structures on optical fibers

Abstract

Two-photon polymerization 3D printing advances optical fibers into complex lab-on-fiber devices. However, widespread adoption remains bottlenecked by the inherent inefficiencies of sequential, direct-on-fiber printing. To address this, a custom-designed modular platform and a corresponding fiber-decoupled fabrication methodology on planar substrates are presented. This platform features a compliant, spring-like socket that enables passive self-alignment and reversible fiber insertion, paired with a customizable frontal device. The shift to fabrication on planar substrates enables parallel batch processing and allows the substrate to serve as a functional magazine for device mounting. To demonstrate this approach, modular platforms featuring a functional tip are printed, sharpened via post-process plasma etching, metallized, and equipped with an optical aperture using focused ion beam milling, while remaining on the planar substrate. Subsequently, these are used as exchangeable scanning probe microscopy tips mounted in situ within a scanning electron microscope. Simultaneous three-channel correlative imaging (atomic force microscopy topography, secondary electron, and cathodoluminescence) is used to validate the optomechanical stability of the design. Ultimately, by decoupling the delicate optical device's lifespan from the optical fiber, this architecture transforms lab-on-fiber tools into scalable, seamlessly replaceable consumables, offering a highly adaptable pathway for broader applications in photonics, sensing, and microscopy.