Fabrication techniques of photopolymer-clad waveguides for nonlinear polymeric modulators

Thomas Anthony Tumolillo Jr.; Paul R. Ashley

doi:10.1117/12.50658

1 December 1991 Fabrication techniques of photopolymer-clad waveguides for nonlinear polymeric modulators

Thomas Anthony Tumolillo Jr., Paul R. Ashley

Proceedings Volume 1559, Photopolymer Device Physics, Chemistry, and Applications II; (1991) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.50658
Event: San Diego, '91, 1991, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

There is growing interest in developing fabrication methods for optically nonlinear organic materials that are used in integrated optical modulators. Of particular interest are systems in which the NLO moiety is incorporated in a polymer system either as a dopant or chemically attached as a side chain to the polymer backbone. In order to realize the potential of these polymers, much research has been directed toward developing the technology required to form channel waveguides and demonstrate prototype polymeric modulators. Reported here are the fabrication details of a projection printing technique to form channel waveguides and prototype modulators. This technique has been used to characterize the optical properties of the polymers by the fabrication and testing of Mach Zehnder modulators. The projection printing technique forms inverted ribs in optical epoxies by noncontact exposure to a patterned UV light source. These inverted ribs are filled by spin coating with the electro-optic polymers to form channel waveguides. A second buffer layer is coated over the polymer by spinning and poling/device electrodes are added to form the completed modulator. Any spin coatable electro-optic polymer can be used as the active waveguide material by adjusting the inverted rib dimensions for single mode operation depending on the polymer/epoxy index difference. The practical engineering design considerations and fabrication procedures required for single mode channel waveguides and successful modulator construction are discussed in detail.

Citation Download Citation

Thomas Anthony Tumolillo Jr. and Paul R. Ashley "Fabrication techniques of photopolymer-clad waveguides for nonlinear polymeric modulators", Proc. SPIE 1559, Photopolymer Device Physics, Chemistry, and Applications II, (1 December 1991); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.50658

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