Glass has played a significant role in technological advancements across various industries. Despite its long history, the methods used to shape and structure glass have remained largely unchanged for decades. Traditional glass processing techniques are often limited in scalability and complexity, making it challenging to meet the growing demands of modern applications. Recent innovations have introduced novel approaches that enable more precise structuring of glass, opening new possibilities for optical and photonic technologies.
One important breakthrough came from the OptoGlass3D project, part of ATTRACT phase 1, which was a collaboration between Glassomer and Nanoscribe, two companies specializing in glass and 3D printing technologies. This project aimed to develop a method for creating high-quality optical glass using a technique called two-photon polymerization (2PP), a type of high-resolution 3D printing. By combining Glassomer’s special glass formulation with Nanoscribe’s precision 3D printing technology, OptoGlass3D successfully created a new way to structure glass at a very small scale. This led to the commercialization of GP-Silica, the first-ever 2PP-compatible glass material, making it possible to produce complex glass structures with microscopic precision.
Building on the success of OptoGlass3D, the Glass2Mass project takes this technology to the next level by making it more scalable and cost-effective. It focuses on integrating Glassomer Technology with ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) to produce optical components from fused silica glass, the purest form of glass available. This technique allows for the rapid and inexpensive replication of high-quality glass components, making it possible to produce optical elements on an industrial scale. Unlike traditional glass moulding, which requires expensive tools and equipment, UV-NIL uses flexible moulds that can be quickly reproduced, significantly reducing costs.
The purpose of Glass2Mass is to create an efficient process for producing high-quality optical components from fused silica. Optical components, such as lenses and beam shapers, need to be manufactured with extreme precision, and by making fused silica compatible with UV-NIL, Glass2Mass aims to make glass the preferred material for next-generation optical devices.
“NIL is one of the most relevant techniques to manufacture high-quality components on scale and Glass2Mass will make one of the most relevant materials in all of optics accessible via NIL”,
mentioned Bastian E. Rapp, Chief Technical Officer at Glassomer and coordinator of the Glass2Mass project.
Progress and key milestones achieved
Throughout the last months, the research team has been working on spreading the news about the work and reaching out to potential customers and users of the technology. In addition, they have remained active by presenting their progress at key conferences. For instance, they participated in SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco, a leading event bringing together engineers, scientists, students, and industry professionals. There, they showcased their technology, which drew significant attention from diverse audiences.
Glass2Mass main applications
The project has successfully demonstrated a nanoimprint lithography (NIL) process workflow using Glassomer Technology. NIL presents a cost-effective alternative to injection moulding, allowing the production of high-precision glass structures at a lower unit price. The research team has achieved a major milestone by generating its first high-resolution microlens arrays with this new technology. The material system is now well-developed, bringing them closer to a final product. Besides optics, this technology has major implications for microsystems, sensors and packaging, most promisingly for photonic package integration and similar fields.
Glass2Mass is coordinated by the German startup Glassomer in partnership with Nanoscribe, a leading company in high-resolution 3D printing via direct laser writing, EV Group, a market leader in nanoimprint lithography instrumentation, and OSRAM, a key player in projection, optics, and illumination.
Here you can watch a video of the Glass2Mass project:
For additional information about the project, visit here.
Glass has played a significant role in technological advancements across various industries. Despite its long history, the methods used to shape and structure glass have remained largely unchanged for decades. Traditional glass processing techniques are often limited in scalability and complexity, making it challenging to meet the growing demands of modern applications. Recent innovations have […]
