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Contract Opportunity

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop its methods for fabricating flexible fiber optics for medical devices.

Background:

Commercial fiber optic cables are the current standard for carrying optical signals in industries like communications or medical devices. However, the fibers are made of glass, which do not have favorable characteristics for applications that require flexibility and re-routing, e.g. typically brittle, limited selection of materials, dimension constraints. Recently available LED-based optical solutions are more compact and flexible; however, they tend to have low power conversion efficiencies, high operating current, but more detrimentally, the diodes generate excess heat, which may not be acceptable for applications such as medical devices. Therefore, there is an unmet need for improved optical fibers that address the shortcomings of both the current standard commercial fiber optic cables as well as the newer LED based optical solutions.

Description:

To address these challenges, LLNL researchers have developed novel methods to produce flexible optical fibers for medical applications that require light delivery solutions. The techniques are exceptionally adaptable and can be used to fabricate high-resolution flexible optical fibers/waveguides composed of a variety of optical materials (not just glass) as well as a wide range of design dimensions for both core and cladding layers. These methods include additive manufacturing techniques such as molding and thermal reflow, dip coating, printing, etc. The designed fibers can then be conveniently coupled with flip-chipped laser diodes, photodetectors, or bench-top lasers that can be located far away from the site of operation, thus preventing local heat buildup from the light source, the main shortcoming for LED optical solutions.

The novel fiber design techniques in this invention are modular and can be combined with other microfabrication techniques (e.g. LLNL’s innovative additive manufacturing methods, polymer flip-chip bonding technique) to build integrated optoelectronic systems that are efficient and have customized design platforms that could potentially expand the accessible design space across multiple areas of research. An example would be integrating flexible fiber optic fabrication methods into creating polymeric opto-electro-mechanical systems (POEMS) for advanced neural interfaces.

Advantages/Benefits:

• The novel methods in this invention are able to produce flexible optical fibers/waveguides that are bendable with thin cladding. These flexible fiber elements are more robust compared to commercially available optical fibers that are made of fragile glass, which can be easily damaged and have larger diameters due to thick cladding.


• The current alternative to optical fibers is optical diodes, but since the diodes are located at the site of operation, the heat they generate could potentially damage the surrounding materials and tissue. Flexible fiber optics can be a solution to this problem by allowing the light source to be located away from the site.


• Flexible waveguides can be made from nm to mm scale.


• Methods are modular and can be used in combination with other microfabrication techniques to develop a comprehensive approach for the design of integrated optoelectronic systems that require flexible and customized fiber optic solutions.

Potential Applications:

• multielectrode arrays (MEAs)


• implantable optoelectronic devices such as cochlear implants


• medical monitoring devices such as endoscopes

Development Status:

Current stage of technology development: TRL-2

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/035558 HIGH RESOLUTION AND HIGH FLEXIBILITY FIBER OPTICAL CABLES AND MICROFABRICATION METHODS FOR MAKING SAME published 11/10/2022

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information.

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's methods to fabricate flexible fiber optics for medical devices should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.

2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.

3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide your electronic OR written statement by 5/24/2023. (within 30 days from the date this announcement is published) to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's methods to fabricate flexible fiber optics for medical devices.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA 94551-0808

Attention: IL-13629

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