3D-printed micro-optics: design, rapid prototyping and wafer-based series production up to millions of units.
Printoptix GmbH
New on Amplifa
About Printoptix
Printoptix GmbH specializes in the design, development and manufacture of 3D-printed micro-optical components and systems. The company offers the entire process chain from the idea through optical and structural design, process optimization and fabrication to characterization and series production. Parts are produced by 3D direct laser-based printing (two-photon lithography) from photopolymer, with the optics applied directly onto a wide variety of substrates such as glass slides, silicon wafers, optical fibers (fiber tips), image sensors and LEDs. Series production is automated at wafer scale up to 150 x 150 mm² in an ISO-5 cleanroom, with lot sizes from 1 to millions of parts. Customer industries include micro-optics, photonics, image processing and camera systems as well as fiber optics. The ten-person team comes mostly from the optics and physics institutes of the University of Stuttgart and combines expertise in optical design, 3D printing, optical metrology, materials science and industrial production.
- Processes
- 3D printing of micro-optics / two-photon lithography (3D direct laser writing), Optical Design (raytracing, wave optics, FDTD, FEM), Structural Design, Process Optimization, Fabrication (printing on substrates: glass slides, image sensors, fiber tips, LEDs), Characterization (surface and optical performance measurement), Rapid Prototyping, Series Production (wafer-scale, automated)
- Materials
- Glass (glass slides / glass wafers), Silicon wafer, Optical fiber (fiber tips), Image sensors, LEDs, Photopolymer (3D printing material for micro-optics), Photopolymer, Glass (glass slides, glass wafers)
- Certificates
- Shape measurement, Surface measurement, Optical performance measurement
- Founded
- 2020
- Employees
- 10
- Industries
- Micro-optics, Photonics, Image processing / camera systems, Fiber optics
- 01
Optical Design
- 02
Structural Design
- 03
Process Optimization
- 04
3D Printing / Fabrication
- 05
Characterization / Quality Control
- 06
Series Production
Materials & Processes
Photopolymer
3D printing material for micro-optics, applied directly onto various substrates.
Glass (glass slides, glass wafers)
Substrate material for direct printing of micro-optics.
Silicon wafer
Substrate material for wafer-based series production of micro-optics.
Optical fiber (fiber tips)
Direct fabrication of optics on fiber tips for precise fiber-optic systems.
Image sensor
Direct printing of micro-optics onto image sensors, e.g. for miniaturized cameras.
LED
Direct fabrication of micro-optics on LEDs.
Manufacturing Site
ISO-5 cleanroom
DEFabrication and characterization
- Lot size
- Lot size 1 to millions of parts
- Materials
- Photopolymer on glass, silicon wafers, optical fibers, image sensors and LEDs
- 3D laser lithography system (3D direct laser writing) for micro-optics printing, wafer-scale up to 150 × 150 mm²
- In-house metrology for optical characterization
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D printing of micro-optics / two-photon lithography (3D direct laser writing)Additive | – | Wafer size 150 x 150 mm² | – | 1 (lot size 1) – Millions of parts | Photopolymer (3D printing on substrates: glass, silicon |
| Optical Design (raytracing, wave optics, FDTD, FEM)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Structural DesignEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Process OptimizationEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Fabrication (printing on substrates: glass slides, image sensors, fiber tips, LEDs)Additive | – | – | – | – | Glass, Silicon, Photopolymer |
| Characterization (surface and optical performance measurement)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rapid PrototypingAdditive | – | – | – | – | – |
| Series Production (wafer-scale, automated)Additive | – | 150 x 150 mm² | – | 1 – Millions | – |
| Quality Control (shape, surface, optical performance measurements)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D laser lithography system (3D direct laser writing) for micro-optics printing | – | – | Wafer-scale up to 150 x 150 mm² | – | ISO5 cleanroom |
| In-house metrology for optical characterization | – | – | – | – | ISO5 cleanroom |
Additional services
Quality
Production takes place in an environment-controlled ISO-5 cleanroom. Components are qualified through shape, surface and optical performance measurements.
| Evidence | ISO-5 cleanroom |
|---|---|
| Shape measurement | |
| Surface measurement | |
| Optical performance measurement |
History
- 2020
Exist and Young Innovators funding; founded by Nils Fahrbach and Dr. Simon Thiele in November 2020
- 2021
Official incorporation of Printoptix GmbH in December
- 2023
EIC Transition Grant as lead coordinator (€1.7 million) for the industrialization of 3D-printed micro-optics