Optical writing volume for optically printed devices

Abstract

A substrate may include a porous optical printing volume and a porous optical writing volume. The optical printing and optical writing volumes may be separated laterally and / or separated by layer. One or more optics may be written into the optical writing volumes using a voxel-by-voxel scan exposure. One or more optics may be printed in the optical printed volumes using a two-dimensional area-print exposure without extending the printing into the optical writing volumes.

Description

Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)OPTICAL WRITING VOLUME FOR OPTICALLY PRINTED DEVICESCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 683,064 filed August 14, 2024, titled OPTICAL WRITING VOLUME FOR OPTICALLY PRINTED DEVICES, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.Statement regarding federally sponsored research or development

[0002] This invention was made with government support under 1935289 awarded by the National Science Foundation. The government has certain rights in the invention.BACKGROUNDTechnical Field

[0003] The disclosure relates generally to volumetric optical devices and / or optically printed devices.Brief Description of Related Technology

[0004] Rapid advances in communication technologies, driven by immense customer demand, have resulted in the widespread adoption of optical communication media. As one example, many millions of miles of optical fiber provide short and long haul optical communications throughout the world. Improved interconnects, optical processing, and integration with semiconductor based electronics will continue to increase demand.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Figure 1 shows an example porous scaffold with an optical printing volume and an optical writing volume.

[0006] Figure 2 shows an example method for performing separate optical writing and opticalAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) printing sessions on a substrate.

[0007] Figure 3 shows various techniques for selective filling.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] This invention focuses on creating separate volumes for optical writing and optical printing. In some cases, volume is defined as a uniform layer in a multilayer substrate. In some cases, both an optical writing volume and an optical printing volume can be defined in the same layer.

[0009] In various contexts, volumetric photonic integrated devices may be integrated with other optical and / or photonic devices. Accordingly, methods and devices for improving integration, reducing insertion loss, and improving overall photonic device quality will improve performance and drive adoption of technologies.

[0010] The various techniques and architectures discussed below provide for devices for coupling, free-space to guided-mode transitions, device writing with reduced writing artifacts and errors, waveguide bends, anti-reflective coating layers, and / or other volumetric integrated photonic device configurations and fabrication methods.

[0011] In various systems optical interconnects, e.g., optical elements interfacing one or more optical mediums to one or more other media (including other optical media), utilize specific three- dimensional forms to couple light among the media. Further, for complex and / or multiplexed routing and / or filtering, complex three-dimensional forms may be used. In some cases, processing operations on optical signals may use complex and / or specifically dimensioned forms. In addition, lensing may, in some cases, use two or three dimensional forms of a complex nature (e.g., as opposed to curved lenses or flat uncomplicated forms such as Fresnel lenses) which may be designed through computer modelling or empirical study. Such complex two- or three-dimensional forms may be impractical or impossible to create or to align accurately using standard lens manufacturing techniques alone. Accordingly, techniques and architectures that allow the creation of monolithically integrated optical devices, electro-optical devices, photonic elements, interconnects, waveguides, prisms, beam splitters, gratings, lenses, and / or other optics of arbitrary dimension, function, and form, such as those discussed below involving writing one or more voxels into a scaffold and / or writing an optic into such a scaffold, offer improvements over existing market based solutions. For example, the optics may include Mach-ZehnderAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) interferometer, other interferometers, and / or other optics. The optical writing volume may be silicon in some cases. Accordingly, integration with solar cells, photodiodes, modulators, and / or other electro-optics may be readily performed. In an example, electrodes may be added proximate to a written waveguide optic to form a modulator device.

[0012] In some systems, when writing a form to a medium, lower parts of a form provide support for the upper parts of the form because the writable medium (e.g., a polymer in liquid or aqueous form) provided no physical rigidity unless hardened through exposure. Accordingly, the conventional wisdom was that when constructing via laser writing an optic (e.g., into a polymer medium), the form of the optic should be selected such that the lower portions of the form would support the upper portions. In some cases, the inclusion of a scaffold provides rigidity within the writable medium allowing forms without support from lower portions of the structure, which allows one to proceed with structure selection that may be contrary to the conventional wisdom.

[0013] A scaffold may be saturated or immersed in writable media to define the writable volume. The scaffold, which may be porous, may host the writable media and may be transparent both in the presence of the writable media and in cases where the writable media is removed (e.g., after writing is complete or to allow for a second writable media to replace the first for additional writing stages). The writable media may include a writable medium (e.g., a medium for which the refractive index of the medium may change if the medium undergoes a material property change, such as a change that is optically induced or driven. A voxel may be written into the scaffold to create an optic. The scaffold may be disposed on a substrate (e.g., a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) compatible substrate, a lll-V compatible substrate, or other substrate) which may allow for integration with other optics, electrical devices, and / or other systems. The scaffold may be rigid (e.g., a structure capable of holding written regions in a position in three-dimensional space at least when undisturbed and / or when exposed to ambient conditions). However, in various implementations, the scaffold may have varying degrees of flexibility when exposed to particular deforming forces.

[0014] In an example technique, a voxel is generated within a scaffold. The voxel may include a region that has undergone a material property change, such that the optical properties of the region are altered for an operational period (e.g., permanently, for multiple hours / days / months / years, over a decay period, a dissolution period, or other duration over which the written voxel may be used as (at least of portion of) an optic). The voxel may be written by focusing incident light into the voxel to cause the material property change. The material propertyAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) change may include a refractive index change, a density change, a compositional change, a mechanical property change, an electrical property change, an acoustical property change, a thermal property change, or other material property change, within a writable medium through optical absorption. Further, the material property change may cause the position of the voxel to be fixed within the scaffold. One or more voxels may be used to define an optic within the scaffold.

[0015] In other words, optics may be created such that the optics are written into an at least partially optically transparent porous scaffold permeated with a writable medium. The optics may be formed and arranged in a three-dimensional pattern. The optics may include regions having an optically-driven-state-changed writable medium.

[0016] The scaffold includes at least a partially rigid region. A writable volume may be included within or overlapping with the at least partially rigid region. The writable volume is defined via a writable medium that at least temporarily permeates the scaffold. The writable medium may include a substance for which an exposure to focused incident light may cause a material property change. In some cases, the optical absorption process may include a linear absorption process. However, in some cases, the optical absorption process includes a non-linear absorption process. For example, the process may include a two-photon, three-photon, and / or multi-photon absorption process. In some cases, use of a non-linear absorption process may allow the site of a voxel to be localized to the area exposed to the focus of a beam. In some cases, higher-order nonlinear absorption processes result in more localization than lower order nonlinear absorption processes. The higher the order of the nonlinear absorption process, the more photons that must be simultaneously absorbed to excite the process. Accordingly, the likelihood of excitation of the process, will increase dramatically (e.g., nonlinearly) near (or at) the focus of a focused incident light source (such as a laser or light emitting diode (LED)). Accordingly, a voxel may include the focal volume (or some portion of the focal volume) of the focused incident light source.

[0017] In some cases, the writable volume (e.g., the writable medium therein) may include a monomer, polymer, a photoresist, or a combination thereof. As an illustrative example, pentaerythritol triacrylate may be used. As another illustrative example, writable medium may include a self-assembled-monolayer-forming monomer. In this and other monomer examples, the monomer may form a polymer after cross-linking the monomer as a result of the optical absorption.

[0018] As discussed above, the scaffold may include a porous material. In various implementations, the porous material may include porous silicon, porous silicate, porous silica,Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) porous gallium nitride, porous gallium arsenide, porous indium phosphide, porous lithium niobate, other porous lll-V materials, porous high-temperature high-silica glass, any porosified nanofabrication substrate porous metallic materials, porous semiconductor materials, and / or porous dielectric materials. The particular scaffold may be selected based on the desired characteristics of the scaffold for a particular application. For example, porous silicon may be selected based on a birefringence of the porous silicon. In an example, the birefringence of the silicon may aid in phase-matching in a multi-wave mixing process.

[0019] In various implementations, porous materials that have been porosified via various processes may be used. For example, materials that have been porosified by uniform or non- uniform chemical etching may be used as a scaffold. Materials that have been porosified by uniform or non-uniform physical etching may be used as a scaffold. Materials that have been porosified by uniform or non-uniform electrochemical etching may be used as a scaffold. Materials that have been porosified by lithographic etching may be used as a scaffold. Materials that have been porosified by spatially selective etching may be used as a scaffold. Materials that are porous because of deposition at a glancing angle may be used as a scaffold. Materials made porous by assembly or that are porous because of assembly (including self-assembly) may be used as a scaffold. Porous materials, in some cases with porosity exceeding 50% air by volume, and / or in some cases with above 80% air by volume, may be used as a scaffold. In some implementations, the porosity may be controlled, e.g., by controlling the electrochemical etch current density and / or the chemical composition of the electrolyte used in the etch. For example, the porosity may be selectively controlled to vary from 1 % air by volume to 99% air by volume. Porous materials, in some cases, with pores below 1 micron in at least one dimension, or, in some cases, below 100 nanometers, may be used as a scaffold. In some implementations, the size of pores may be controlled, e.g., by controlling the electrochemical etch current density and / or the concentrations of the electrolyte used in the etch. For example, pores may be selectively controlled to vary in size from up to 10 nm to 50 nm or more. Further, the thickness of the pore walls may be selectively controlled to vary in size from up to 1 nm to 50 nm or more. The porous scaffold may be annealed to relieve strain by heating up and / or cooling down the scaffold. The porous scaffold may be exposed to plasma treatment to modify its surface or volumetric material properties or to perform cleaning. The porous scaffold may be oxidized to increase the range of wavelengths for which it is transparent and / or to reduce the strength of the birefringence.

[0020] Additionally or alternatively, the porosity, pore size, and thickness of the pore walls mayAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) be made to vary as a function of etch depth by varying the current density, waveform shape of the current pulses (e.g., duty cycle, period, or continuous wave operation), and / or electrolyte composition as a function of time. The variation of current density, waveform shape, and / or electrolyte composition may be done continuously (e.g., with a linear or nonlinear ramp of the current density, duty cycle, period, and / or by continuously flowing a new composition of electrolyte into the etching chamber to partially or completely exchange with the existing electrolyte). Additionally or alternatively, the variation of current density, waveform shape, and / or electrolyte composition may be performed with a fixed number of discrete steps. A look up table of the current density, waveform shape, and electrolyte composition may be used to determine the etch rate as well as to design the necessary profiles of current density, waveform shape, and electrolyte composition to achieve a desired set of profiles for porosity, pore size, and pore thickness. Porosity, pore size, and pore thickness affect the optical and other material properties of the scaffold (e.g., refractive index, scattering losses) as well as the optical and other material properties of the polymer that is written into the scaffold because the porosity affects the maximum amount of polymer that can infill the scaffold as well as the minimum amount of polymer needed to reach threshold for the polymer to adhere to the scaffold, and thus for example the tuning range for refractive index; the pore size affects the degree to which the polymer is able to infill as well as the size of scattering discontinuities; and the pore thickness affects the smoothness of the written polymer. Therefore, the optical and other material properties of both the scaffold and of the written polymer may be controlled as a function of depth in the selectively porosified regions. In various implementations, illumination, and subsequent absorption of light in the substrate may be used to affect the density of electrons and holes at the interface between the electrolyte and the unetched substrate. Therefore, the chemical reaction for etching and thus the formation of pores and the optical and other material properties of both the scaffold and of the written polymer may also be controlled laterally through a photoelectrochemical etching process. In some cases, the photoelectrochemical etching process may be performed using either an optical projector or a supercontinuum laser and spatial light modulator to display one or more grayscale or color images at different moments in time to achieve a desired three dimensional profile of pores such that the optical and other material properties of both the scaffold and of the written polymer may vary over three axes. During such etching, the nanoscale properties may be monitored. For example, the techniques and architectures discussed in U.S. Patent No. 10,734,237, issued August 4, 2020, titled Spectrally and temporally engineered processing using photoelectrochemistry and U.S. Patent No. 10,115,599, issued October 30, 2018, titled SpectrallyAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) and temporally engineered processing using photoelectrochemistry, each of which being incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, may be used. Therein, techniques and architectures for subtractively fabricating three-dimensional structures relative to a surface of a substrate and for additively depositing metal and dopant atoms onto the surface and for diffusing them into the bulk are discussed. Thus, the photoelectrochemical etching process discussed herein may be performed using such techniques. As another example, techniques and architectures discussed in U.S. Patent No. 9,255,791 , issued February 9, 2016, titled Optically monitoring and controlling nanoscale topography, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, may be used. Therein, techniques and architectures for characterizing a height profile of a scattering surface relative to a fiducial plane are discussed. Therein, the scattering surface, which may be an interface between distinct solid, liquid, gaseous or plasma phases, is illuminated with substantially spatially coherent light, and light scattered by the scattering surface is collected and dispersed, such as by a grating, into zeroth- and first-order beams. Thus, the optical monitoring discussed herein may be performed using such techniques.

[0021] Further, a scaffold may be selected based on transparency constraints of a particular implementation. In various implementations, the transparency of the scaffold allows for exposure of the writable medium to focused incident light. In some cases, opaque scaffolds or scaffolds with limited transparency may prevent (or at least partially inhibit) exposure. Accordingly, a scaffold material may be constructed in various manners (such as any of those discussed above or other porosification processes). However, material selection to meet transparency constraints may be applied (at least in some cases) regardless of the porosification technique employed.

[0022] In some implementations, the level / intensity of the material property change may be selected. For example, the exposure may be lessened (reduced in intensity or duration) to reduce the overall change that occurs (e.g., reduce the change in refractive index either up or down). In another example, the exposure may be increased (increased in intensity or duration) to increase the overall change that occurs (e.g., increase the change in refractive index either up or down). Intensity may be increased or decreased by adjusting the input power of the incident light. Intensity may also be increased or decreased by varying the duty cycle or the pulse width for pulse width modulation. In some cases, intensity may be increased or decreased by adjusting the focal volume of the incident light. In some cases, the degree of the material change may be increased or decreased by varying the total exposure time.

[0023] The light source of the incident light may be a laser, a light emitting diode, a lamp, a flashAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) lamp, an image projector, a fully or partially incoherent light source, and / or a fully or partially coherent light source.

[0024] In various implementations, various, optics (such as ball lenses, Luneburg lenses, singlepass-written or multipass-written waveguides, end couplers, scaffold transition layers, complex Al-designed and / or algorithmically-designed lenses, stitched optics, and / or other optics) and / or optical writing techniques such a position correction lookup, multipass writing, adjusted power lookups, dither, ultraviolet 2-D writing, and / or other writing techniques may be combined with the selectively porosified devices and selective porosification architectures and techniques discussed herein. For example, the optics and optical writing techniques and architectures discussed in WIPO International Patent Application No. PCT / US2023 / 75602, filed September 23, 2023, entitled Volumetric Optical Devices, which is incorporated herein in its entirety, may be readily and optionally combined (e.g., individually or as a group) with the selectively porosified devices and selective porosification architectures and techniques discussed herein.

[0025] In some cases, voxel-by-voxel writing and / or other scan-based writing of devices may include a time-intensive process for at least some devices. For example, volume-filling optics, such as, some lenses and / or other solid optics may require scanning over the entire volume of the optic in one or more passes. In some cases, for volume-filling devices with features that vary over three axes, scanning the entire volume (although potentially time-intensive) may be a method of creation of such devices with high-fidelity. In some cases, for volume-filling devices with features that vary over three axes, scanning the bounding surface of the volume, followed by developing away writing material outside the bounding surface, followed by a flood exposure or thermal curing to cross link writing material trapped inside the bounding surface may be a comparatively less time-intensive method of creation of such devices with high-fidelity. In some cases and as recognized herein, for volume-filling devices with features that vary on two axes (e.g., over a plane), including some lenses such as gradient-index (GRIN) lenses, various 2D printing techniques (such as UV lithography and or other patterning techniques) for defining a pattern may be used (e.g., in an exposure-power-recalibrated configuration) to achieve crosslinking using area exposure in lieu of scanning-based curing. Thus, in some cases, the time investment associated with creation of such optics within a porous scaffold may be reduced. Further, in some cases, the properties of the scaffold may vary with depth, enabling the 2D printing technique to create optics with features that vary over three axes. In some cases, the properties of the scaffold may vary over three axes, enabling the 2D printing technique to create optics withAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) features that vary over three axes. In some implementations, the 2D printing technique may offer a larger exposure field and reduce the effect of stitches and / or the need to utilize stitch correction methods. Additionally or alternatively, in some implementations, the 2D printing technique may offer a more uniform exposure and reduce the effect of spatially nonuniformities and / or the need to utilize position-dependent correction methods compared to at least some optical writing methods.

[0026] Nevertheless, as recognized herein and contrary to the convention wisdom, a second optical writing volume may be combined with an optical printing volume such that optical interconnects, such as waveguides, micro rings, interferometers, and / or splitters may be written proximate to the printed optics. In some cases, inclusion of a second porous scaffold volume may be used to define the optical writing volume separately from the optical printing volume. Conventional systems lack architectures and techniques for performing optical printing in a scaffold without the printing volume extending into the optical writing volume (e.g., while allowing for optical writing to be performed (e.g., earlier or later) in a separate optical writing session).

[0027] Figure 1, when treated as a side view drawing, shows an example multilayer substrate 100 with an optical writing layer 110 and an optical printing layer 150. The optical writing 110 and optical printing layers 150 may both include porous scaffolds. However, a division is present for the layers 110, 150 to prevent area-exposure printing from extending into the optical writing layer.

[0028] In various implementations, the division may include a difference in scaffold material properties, such as pore size and / or pore density, cross-linkable polymer properties (e.g., such as curing spectra or curing intensity requirements, viscosity, and / or other properties), physical barriers (e.g., a barrier between layers preventing cross-linkable polymer from crossing, an optical barrier that blocks specific light bands, a sealed layer of polymer, and / or other barriers), diffusion time for cross-linkable polymer, and / or other divisions. In some implementations, the division may allow for the cross-linkable polymer to not be present within the optical writing layer while the optical printing layer is exposed for printing (e.g., the cross-linkable polymer for the optical writing process is applied, exposed, and cured and the non-cross-linked polymer is removed before the optical printing process or the cross-linkable polymer for the optical writing is applied, exposed, and cured and the non-cross-linked polymer is removed after the optical printing process). In some implementations, the division may allow for different cross-linkable polymers to be present in the different layers. For example, one layer may include a polymer with lower curing intensity requirements. Thus, cross-linking in the other layer may be avoided by holding the exposureAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) intensity below the cross-linking threshold of the other layer. In another example, each layer may include a polymer that is insensitive to light of the wavelength used to cure the polymer in the other layer. Thus, cross-linking can be done separately in each layer by setting the exposure wavelengths. In some implementations, the division may include intermediate layer between the printing and writing layers. For example, a UV absorptive layer may be present between the printing and writing layers to prevent printing exposure light from reaching the writing layer. Alternatively, the pores from one layer may be sealed off from the other layer via the intermediate layer. For example, a substrate may be porosified from two sides allowing for two separate porosified regions. Other divisions may be used in various implementations.

[0029] Thus, the optical writing layer 110 may include various optics 112 written using the optical writing cross-linkable polymer, while the optical printing layer 150 may include various optics 152 written using the optical printing cross-linkable polymer.

[0030] Figure 2 shows an example method 200 for performing separate optical writing and optical printing sessions on a multilayer substrate 100.

[0031] To prepare the multilayer substrate for the optical printing session, the optical printing layer 150 of the multilayer substrate 100 may be selectively filed with a first cross-linkable polymer (202).

[0032] Referring briefly to Figure 3, various techniques for selective filling are shown. Selective filling may include filling (310) from opposite sides of the multilayer substrate. Selective filling may include diffusing the cross-linkable polymers to different depths using different diffusion times (320). Selective filling may include diffusing different cross-linkable polymers with different material properties (e.g., viscosity) for the first and second cross-linkable polymers (330). Selective filling may include applying different porosification schemes to the writing / printing layers to provide the layers with different material properties (340). Selective filling may include filling the layers at different times (350). Selective filling may include utilizing a physical barrier (362) (such as an unporosified area or a layer of background-index-matched cross-linked polymer) to prevent material exchange between the layers (360). Various other selective filing schemes may be used.

[0033] Referring again to Figure 2, during the optical printing session following the selective filling with first cross-linkable polymer, one or more optics may be printed in the optical printing layer via a two-dimensional area-print exposure (204) without printing the writing layer of theAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) multilayer substrate. The remaining first cross-linkable polymer may be removed after the printing session (206).

[0034] To prepare the multilayer substrate for the optical writing session, the optical writing layer 110 of the multiple layer substrate 100 may be selectively filled with a second cross-linkable polymer (208). The second cross-linkable polymer may not necessarily differ in material properties from the first cross-linkable polymer (e.g., when the division between the layers is provided by one or more alternative mechanisms). The voxel-by-voxel scan exposure may selectively cross link polymer in three-dimensions within the optical writing layer 110 of the multiple layer substrate 100. The remaining second cross-linkable polymer may be removed after the writing session (212).

[0035] In some implementations of the optical writing session, the optical printing layer 150 of the multilayer substrate 100 may also be selectively filled with the second cross-linkable polymer (208). During the optical writing session, one or more optics may be written in the optical printing layer via a voxel-by-voxel scan exposure (210). In various implementations, where the first crosslinkable polymer is present and compatible with the voxel-by-voxel scan exposure, optical writing may extend into the optical printing layer. The division between the layers may be configured to prevent encroachment of the two-dimensional area-print exposure into the writing layer. However, the voxel-by-voxel scan exposure may selectively cross link polymer in three-dimensions. Therefore, optical writing in undesirable locations may be avoided by not scanning the focus of the writing beam into those locations. By contrast, the two-dimensional area-print exposure may not necessarily be controllable in the depth of exposure. Accordingly, the division (e.g., spatial division, timing division, and / or material property division) between the layers 110, 150 may be used to avoid encroachment of the printing into the optical writing layer. Thus, the depth of the printing process may be controlled using the unconventional techniques and architectures herein because the printing is prevented from extending into the optical writing layer 110. The remaining second cross-linkable polymer may be removed after the writing session (212).

[0036] Using the aforementioned techniques, multiple optical printing layers and one optical writing layer may be defined and used for creating devices. Similarly, multiple optical writing layers and one optical printing layer may be defined and used for creating devices. Multiple optical writing layers and multiple printing layers may also be defined and used for creating devices.

[0037] In all aforementioned techniques, the optical writing and optical printing volumes can be defined with the division in the lateral direction instead of in the depth direction. Figures 1 and 3Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) can be interpreted as top views instead of side views with the modifications that 320 refers now to different distances from the side edge instead of the depths from the top and that 340 may utilize either photoelectrochemical etching or selective area porosification described in U.S. Provisional Patent No. 63 / 678,852, filed August 2, 2024, and titled Selective Porosification for Volumetric Optical Devices, which is incorporated in its entirety herein. Therein, techniques and architectures for generating arbitrarily shaped selectively porosified regions using trenches are described. Thus, the techniques and architectures therein may be combined with those discussed herein to form selectively porosified volumes for optical printing and optical writing. Additionally or alternatively, the techniques and architectures described therein for generating structures for fiber side coupling may be combined with those discussed herein to form fiber-side-coupled structures having optical printing and optical writing volumes. When the division is, at least in part, lateral, optical printing in undesirable locations may be avoided by not printing into those regions. Regardless of the division, optical writing in undesirable locations may be avoided by not scanning the focus of the writing beam into those locations.

[0038] Using the aforementioned techniques, multiple optical printing lateral regions with one optical writing lateral region may be defined in a single layer and used for creating devices. Similarly, multiple optical writing lateral regions with one optical printing lateral region in a single layer may be defined and used for creating devices. Multiple optical writing lateral regions with multiple printing lateral regions in a single layer may also be defined and used for creating devices. Additionally, a layer with one or more optical printing lateral regions may be located above or below an optical writing layer. A layer with one or more optical writing lateral regions may be located above or below an optical printing layer. In the general case, a collection of volumes for optical printing and a collection of volumes for optical writing may be defined and used for creating devices by generating multiple layers each consisting of one or more optical printing and / or optical writing lateral regions.

[0039] In some implementations, volumes where optical printing is allowed and disallowed and may be defined, e.g., via the divisions. However, in some cases, points of optical writing may be selected without regard to such divisions. Rather, optical writing may be performed where: writing material is present and previously printed / written optics do not interfere with the current writing process, e.g., writing any desired point that is physically possible and without regard to the divisions. Nevertheless, in some implementations, the divisions define allowed and disallowed volumes for both optical printing and optical writing.Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)

[0040] The present disclosure has been described with reference to specific examples that are intended to be illustrative only and not to be limiting of the disclosure. Changes, additions and / or deletions may be made to the examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Various implementations have been described various implementations are possible. Table 1 includes various examples.Table 1 : ExamplesAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) t o t t w i t s t g e t s aAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) a t t w t a t c wAtty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)

[0041] The foregoing description is given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom.

Claims

Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)What is Claimed is:

1. A method including: selectively filling, with a first cross-linkable polymer, a porous optical printing volume of a substrate; optically printing one or more optics in the porous optical printing volume via a two- dimensional area-print exposure without printing to a porous optical writing volume of the substrate; selectively filling, with a second cross-linkable polymer, the porous optical writing volume; and optically writing one or more optics in the porous optical writing volume via a voxel-by- voxel scan exposure.

2. The method claim 1 , where the porous optical printing volume and the porous optical writing volume are defined as separate layers of a multilayer substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the porous optical printing volume and the porous optical writing volume are defined in a single layer and separated laterally.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the substrate consists of multiple layers and includes one or more optical printing lateral regions and / or optical writing lateral regions on each layer.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the second cross-linkable polymer for the optical writing is selectively deployed after the two-dimensional area-print exposure completes.Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)6. The method of claim 1 , where the first cross-linkable polymer for the two- dimensional area-print exposure is selectively deployed after the optical writing completes.

7. The method of claim 1 , where the first cross-linkable polymer and the second cross-linkable polymer include cross-linkable polymers with different curing spectra.

8. The method of claim 1 , where the first cross-linkable polymer and the second cross-linkable polymer include cross-linkable polymers with different curing intensities.

9. The method of claim 1 , where the first cross-linkable polymer and the second cross-linkable polymer include cross-linkable polymers with different viscosities.

10. The method of claim 1 , where selectively filling includes: diffusing the first cross-linkable polymer and / or the second cross-linkable polymer to a selected depth within a multilayer substrate; and / or diffusing the first cross-linkable polymer and / or the second cross-linkable polymer to a selected lateral distance.11 . The method of claim 1 , where the porous optical writing volume and the porous optical printing volume include pores of different sizes and / or levels of porosity.

12. The method of claim 11 , where the porous optical writing volume and / or the porous optical printing volume have pores including material properties varying with depth.

13. The method of claim 12, where the porous optical writing volume and / or the porous optical printing volume have pores including material properties varying over three axes.Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT)14. The method of claim 1 , where prior to the selectively filling the porous optical printing volume: the one or more written optics are written; and / or the porous optical writing volume is sealed off from the porous optical printing volume.

15. The method of claim 1 , where prior to the selectively filling the porous optical writing volume: the one or more printed optics are printed; and / or the porous optical printing volume is sealed off from the porous optical writing volume.

16. The method of claim 1 , where: the one or more optically printed optics include a lens; and the one or more optically written optics include a waveguide, where: the waveguide couples the lens to a second optic in the substrate.

17. The method of claim 1 , where the one or more optically written optics include a waveguide configured to couple between two or more printed optics in the porous optical printing volume.

18. The method of claim 1 , where the porous optical writing volume and the porous optical printing volume are fabricated via two different porosifications, where: the two different porosifications differ in a side of the multilayer substrate to which the two different porosifications are applied; the two different porosifications differ in duration; the two different porosifications differ in pore size created; and / or the two different porosifications differ in porosifier strength / power.

19. A device including:Atty. Docket No. 010422-24002B-WO 2023-011-02(PCT) one or more written optics in a porous optical writing volume of a substrate; and one or more printed optics in a porous optical printing volume of the substrate, the optical printing volume configured to be selectively filled with a first cross-linkable polymer such that, during a two-dimensional area-print exposure to the porous optical printing volume to print the one or more printed optics, no printing extends into the porous optical writing volume.

20. A method including: filling, with a first cross-linkable polymer, a porous optical printing volume of a substrate; optically printing one or more optics in the porous optical printing volume via a two- dimensional area-print exposure without printing to a porous optical writing volume of the substrate; removing the first cross-linkable polymer; after optically printing one or more optics and removing the first cross-linkable polymer, filling, with a second cross-linkable polymer, the porous optical writing volume; and optically writing one or more optics in the porous optical writing volume via a voxel-by- voxel scan exposure.

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