Our proposal on developing next generation of Freeform Gradient Index (F-GRIN) Optics just got approved by NWO (Dutch Research Council) with a budget of over 2M € 🥳. In fact, it was ranked 1. With consortium partners Delft & Twente, and industrial partners ASML, Signify, Anteryon, Demcon, & JMO, it is time to usher in a new era in optical technology.

THE PEREGRINE logo!! sure to take the world by storm like its namesake

PEREGRINE: Performance Extremized Freeform Gradient Index Optics 

In the past, our efforts to control light have been shackled by reliance either on optical surfaces, such as reflectors (mirror)
and refractors (lens), or on materials confined by symmetry (e.g. optical fibers). However, with the advancement of fast
design algorithms, smart materials, and additive manufacturing techniques, it is now possible to produce operational optical
media with volumetric variation in refractive index unconstrained by symmetry. These are the so-called freeform gradient
index (F-GRIN) optics. The extra degrees of freedom granted by such technology open up new frontiers for optical design. It
leads to more compact, flat, sustainable, and adaptable optical systems operating over a broad spectrum of wavelengths,
having less environmental footprint. Nevertheless, for this technology to reach the masses, the materials need to be stable,
non-hazardous, and inexpensive; the manufacturing has to be scalable; reliability has to be testable and guaranteed; and
the design has to extremize performance so that transmission can be maximized while respecting all other constraints
mentioned above. By combining expertise on (a) polymeric ink and nano-particle fabrication for materials; (b) multi-jetted
3D-printing for manufacturing; (c) metrology techniques and dispersion measurements for metrology; and (d) numerical
methods for modelling/inverse optical design, the PEREGRINE project aims to exhaust these four `m`-directions and
make F-GRIN optics viable. The effects are expected to resonate through semiconductor, lighting, and healthcare industries
to name a few, and eventually percolate to the broader society.

Hirings to start soon!! For more information, keep an eye on Computational Illumination Optics webpage