Yujia YuanPhysical systems · Stanford EE

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Motor system for controlled wet etching

ScaleHuman
PlaceWaterloo · IQC · Bajcsy Lab
FieldOptical fiber processing
Period2019
Fig. 1 — Motorized fiber-tip etching apparatus, end-to-end build.
Fig. 1 — Motorized fiber-tip etching apparatus, end-to-end build.
Fig. 2 — CAD model of the fiber etcher in SolidWorks.
Fig. 2 — CAD model of the fiber etcher in SolidWorks.

Problem. Optical experiments frequently use fibers with shaped or sloped tips so light exits them in a controlled direction. Producing those tips requires pulling the fiber from the etching solution (super dangerous HYDROFLURIC ACID) at a controlled speed; doing it manually is not repeatable enough for a lab process.

What we did. The apparatus was designed as a complete tool. SolidWorks was used to plan the assembly; metal parts were machined in-house for the main structure, and 3D-printed components held the elevating platform and Arduino enclosure. An Arduino-controlled motor provided programmable speed to take the fiber out of the ether.

Result.Users can program the speed of the motor and it will elevate the platform holding a fiber at corresponding speed. Since the fiber tip is etched with uniformly changed time, it has a controlled angle with smooth surface.

Why it matters. The finished system turned a manual chemistry-and-optics step into a repeatable motor-controlled process. It also greatly enhances users' safety because they no longer need to stay with the etcher for extended times.