Baudet and colleagues from Laval University present the first printing of chalcogenide glass structures using 3D additive manufacturing techniques, opening the door to quicker production of more complex infrared (IR) optics. This work, thorough and thoughtful, by the Messaddeq group, represents an important advancement at the interface of glass and manufacturing.

The past decade has witnessed a renaissance in optical materials research, particularly in the IR, including remarkable progress in multimaterial fibers, metamaterials, and photonic crystal structures, to name just a few. Many of these achievements have been enabled by the equally expansive progress in additive manufacturing. From early work on IR planar waveguide patterning in the 1990s to recent 3D printing of optical preforms then drawn into complex microstructured polymer and oxide glass optical fibers, there are considerable opportunities to more rapidly advance complex bulk and fiber infrared optics.

The work by Baudet et al. employs a well-established chalcogenide glass, arsenic sulfide, and a commercial 3D printer to create a first generation of printed mid-IR optical structures. No changes to the chemical composition or thermal properties of the printed glasses originated during the additive manufacturing. Future efforts, focused on improved mechanical robustness and optical quality (decreased loss), are important steps forward for 3D-printed chalcogenide glass structures. Given the growing use of extrusion in making IR fiber preforms, the greater potential complexity of 3D printing is an exciting area to watch.

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