Method for manufacturing a network of microlenses at the ends of a bundle of optical fibres, related optical fibres and related use
Résumé
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing end microlenses (101) of individual optical fibres (100) which are part of a bundle or a multi-core fibre, including in particular depositing a drop (2) of a photopolymerisable solution on a first end (10) of the bundle or of said multi-core fibre. The method according to the invention also comprises: adapting the size of said drop (2); applying light (4) centred on a predetermined wavelength onto a second end (20) of the bundle or of said multi-core fibre in order to selectively polymerise said drop (2); rinsing said first end (10) using a methanol solution in order to obtain a network of individual optical fibres (100), each one of which is provided with a microlens (101) at the first end (10) of the multi-core fibre or the bundle, said microlenses (101) being physically separated from one another. The invention additionally relates to a bundle of microlensed fibres obtained by said method, as well as to the use of such a bundle, for example in medical or multiplexed imaging and/or in the coupling of optical fibres.