Additive and hybrid manufacturing methods are opening new possibilities for designing and producing glass components for optical and photonic systems. Key approaches include stereolithography, DLP printing, two-photon polymerization, direct ink writing, laser-based processing, sol-gel methods, and emerging low-temperature glass fabrication routes.
The seminar focuses on the relevance of these methods for microlenses, freeform optics, waveguides, fiber-tip devices, microfluidic-optical systems, sensors, photonic crystals, and customized photonic glass elements. It also discusses whether alternative fabrication methods could reduce reliance on manual stack-and-draw preform manufacturing.
Key technical challenges are reviewed, including shrinkage, cracking, porosity, surface roughness, limited material selection, refractive-index control, and the need for post-processing. The seminar concludes by assessing where glass additive manufacturing can create the most value: in customized, high-performance optical components that are difficult or inefficient to make with conventional glass-processing methods.