Waferfaser

Waferfaser is a term used in some technical literature to describe a wafer-scale approach to integrating fiber elements into silicon-based devices. It denotes either a class of ultra-thin fiber structures produced on a wafer or a fabrication method that anchors fiber segments onto a substrate, enabling compact, planar fiber-optic components and sensors.

Manufacturing typically starts with a prepared wafer, on which fibers are grown, drawn, or placed. Techniques such as electrospinning, thermal drawing, or transfer of pre-made fibers onto the wafer are combined with microfabrication steps to create guiding channels and anchor points. Photolithography, etching, and bonding secure the fibers and prepare optical interfaces.

Materials used include silica and various polymers for the fibers themselves, as well as supporting layers in the wafer stack. The approach emphasizes compatibility with standard semiconductor processes, enabling integration with electronics and photonics. Mechanical and optical properties depend on the chosen fiber material and the quality of the fiber–wafer interfaces.

Applications are primarily in micro-optics, sensing, and photonic interconnects where compact, planar fiber elements are beneficial. Potential use cases include integrated sensors on a chip, fiber-based waveguides within photonic circuits, biomedical probes, and packaging for miniature optical communication systems.

The concept emerged from efforts to combine fiber functionality with wafer-scale manufacturing in MEMS and photonics research. While still an area of active development, waferfaser approaches aim to reduce size, cost, and assembly complexity compared with conventional fiber components.