Methods for manufacturing cables and cables assemblies include providing powder particles within a tube extruded about optical fiber. The particles may be accelerated so that as they strike the tube and mechanically attach to the tube.

A structure for coupling an optical signal between an integrated circuit photonic structure and an external optical fiber is disclosed as in a method of formation. The coupling structure is sloped relative to a horizontal surface of the photonic structure such that light entering or leaving the photonic structure is substantially normal to its upper surface.

A thermoplastic filament comprising multiple polymers of differing flow temperatures in a geometric arrangement and an interior channel containing a structural or functional thread therein is described. A method for producing such a filament is also described. Because of the difference in flow temperatures, there exists a temperature range at which one polymer is mechanically stable while the other is flowable. This property is extremely useful for creating thermoplastic monofilament feedstock for three-dimensionally printed parts, wherein the mechanically stable polymer enables geometric stability while the flowable polymer can fill gaps and provide strong bonding and homogenization between deposited material lines and layers. These multimaterial filaments can be produced via thermal drawing from a thermoplastic preform, which itself can be three-dimensionally printed. Furthermore, the preform can be printed with precisely controlled and complex geometries, enabling the creation of a filament or fiber with an interior thread contained within the outer, printed filament or fiber. This thread adds structural reinforcement or functional properties, such as electrical conductivity or optical waveguiding, to the filament.

The present disclosure relates to a method for embossing a plastic sheet and a corresponding tool (1). The plastic sheet is pressed between first and second tool halves (3, 5) while being heated such that a pattern is imprinted on first and second faces (19, 21) of the plastic sheet. Reference marks (31, 33) are imprinted on both faces of the plastic sheet and the embossed plastic sheet is evaluated optically to determine error data based on the relative position of the first and second reference marks. This allows to adjust the embossing tool based on the error data for subsequent embossing operations.

A diffraction light guide plate having excellent thickness uniformity and flatness, and having low haze, and excellent mechanical properties such as pencil hardness and strength at the same time, and a method for manufacturing the diffraction light guide plate.

An optical apparatus comprises a waveguide and a plurality of optical components disposed in the waveguide. The optical components disposed in the waveguide direct light rays indicative of an image through at least a portion of the waveguide. The optical components can be configured to preserve a wave front of the represented image. In various embodiments, the optical elements are at least one of lenses, mirrors, and filters. Various methods of making and using the optical apparatus are disclosed herein.

A method and apparatus for mass production of AR diffractive waveguides. Low-cost mass production of large-area AR diffractive waveguides (slanted surface-relief gratings) of any shape. Uses two-photon polymerization micro-nano 3D printing to realize manufacturing of slanted grating large-area masters of any shape (thereby solving the problem about manufacturing of slanted grating masters of any shape on the one hand, realizing direct manufacturing of large-size wafer-level masters on the other hand, and also having the advantages of low manufacturing cost and high production efficiency). Composite nanoimprint lithography technology is employed (in combination with the peculiar imprint technique and the composite soft mold suitable for slanted gratings) to solve the problem that a large-slanting-angle large-slot-depth slanted grating cannot be demolded and thus cannot be manufactured, and realize the manufacturing of the slanted grating without constraints (geometric shape and size).

An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes laser welding together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.

In an example method of forming a waveguide film, a photocurable material is dispensed into a space between a first mold portion and a second mold portion opposite the first mold portion. Further, a relative separation between a surface of the first mold portion with respect to a surface of the second mold portion opposing the surface of the first mold portion is adjusted. The photocurable material in the space is irradiated with radiation suitable for photocuring the photocurable material to form a cured waveguide film. Concurrent to irradiating the photocurable material, the relative separation between the surface of the first mold portion and the surface of the second mold portion is varied and/or an intensity of the radiation irradiating the photocurable material is varied.

In an example method of forming an optical film for an eyepiece, a curable material is dispensed into a space between a first and a second mold surface. A position of the first mold surface relative to the second mold surface is measured using a plurality of sensors. Each sensor measures a respective relative distance along a respective measurement axis between a respective point on a planar portion of the first mold surface and a respective point on a planar portion of the second mold surface. The measurement axes are parallel to each other, and the points define corresponding triangles on the first and second mold surfaces, respectively. The position of the first mold surface is adjusted relative to the second mold surface based on the measured position, and the curable material is cured to form the optical film.