WO2002090401A2 - Photosensitive material suitable for making waveguides and method of making waveguides utilizing this photosensitive optical material - Google Patents
Photosensitive material suitable for making waveguides and method of making waveguides utilizing this photosensitive optical material Download PDFInfo
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- WO2002090401A2 WO2002090401A2 PCT/US2002/010622 US0210622W WO02090401A2 WO 2002090401 A2 WO2002090401 A2 WO 2002090401A2 US 0210622 W US0210622 W US 0210622W WO 02090401 A2 WO02090401 A2 WO 02090401A2
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- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type
- G02B6/12—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind
- G02B6/12007—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
- G02B6/12009—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides
- G02B6/12011—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides characterised by the arrayed waveguides, e.g. comprising a filled groove in the array section
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C09D—COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR
- C09D4/00—Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on organic non-macromolecular compounds having at least one polymerisable carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bond ; Coating compositions, based on monomers of macromolecular compounds of groups C09D183/00 - C09D183/16
- C09D4/06—Organic non-macromolecular compounds having at least one polymerisable carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bond in combination with a macromolecular compound other than an unsaturated polymer of groups C09D159/00 - C09D187/00
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- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/10—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type
- G02B6/12—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind
- G02B6/12007—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer
- G02B6/12009—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides
- G02B6/12026—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides characterised by means for reducing the temperature dependence
- G02B6/12028—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings of the optical waveguide type of the integrated circuit kind forming wavelength selective elements, e.g. multiplexer, demultiplexer comprising arrayed waveguide grating [AWG] devices, i.e. with a phased array of waveguides characterised by means for reducing the temperature dependence based on a combination of materials having a different refractive index temperature dependence, i.e. the materials are used for transmitting light
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- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/38—Mechanical coupling means having fibre to fibre mating means
- G02B6/3801—Permanent connections, i.e. wherein fibres are kept aligned by mechanical means
Definitions
- This invention relates to an optical material suitable for making optical waveguide devices and a method of manufacturing optical waveguide devices.
- Wavelength division multiplexers are designed to separate broad wavelength bands comprised of many discrete narrow band optical signals (individual channels corresponding to different signal streams) into a number of predetermined narrow wavelength bands each corresponding to an individual signal channel, at designated output locations.
- An example of wavelength division multiplexer is a phase array device formed in silica based glass. When subjected to changes in operating temperature, the phase array device shifts the channels into incorrect output locations. The temperature dependent shifts of the channels are caused by index of refraction changes in optical glass, which result in variations in optical path length (OPL) in the phase array.
- OPL optical path length
- the phase arrays rely on designed OPL differences to provide a grating effect and to separate, based on wavelength, single broadband input light into several narrow band channels.
- the temperature dependence of the center channel's central wavelength's position arises from the OPL shifts or changes with temperature, which is due to non zero CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) and the dn/dT (temperature induced refractive index change) of the glass.
- the central wavelength of the center channel may vary by as much as 0.01 nm/C°. If the channel spacing were 0.5nm, a 50-degree temperature shift would shift the center channel into an adjacent position. This could result in loss of channels and scrambling in subsequent channel routing.
- WDM specifications generally include a thermal stability requirement, allowing a center channel's central wavelength shift of less than 0.05nm over a 70-degree temperature range.
- a thermal stability requirement allowing a center channel's central wavelength shift of less than 0.05nm over a 70-degree temperature range.
- this approach is relatively expensive and results in large size packaging.
- the dimensions of the gap are such that the light propagating through each arm of the phase array is compensated by having to move through the negative dn/dT material, such that the overall thermally induced optical path length change is zero.
- this approach is also problematic. More specifically, the gap region (with the negative dn/dT material) is lost due to diffraction through the gap.
- Fiber to fiber splicing is a critical process step in the fabrication of many devices, and is especially difficult to do when the thermo-mechanical properties of the two fibers are significantly different from one another.
- Conventional fusion splicing techniques can not be employed for example, for coupling a highly doped amplifying fiber to a silica transmission fiber because during the splicing process the fiber with the lower melting temperature will melt first and fuse to the high melting temperature fiber (silica fiber). When the splice cools down, significant thermal stress builds up in the joint and ultimately causes a fracture.
- the fabrication of a generic fiber-to-fiber splice requires the two optical fibers to be actively aligned with the ends separated by a distance of about 2 ⁇ m to about 150 ⁇ m.
- End-fire curing is the process of sending UV light through the waveguide so that it exits the waveguide and photo-cures (photo-polymerizes) the region which contains photo- polymerizable material and which is located adjacent to the exit face of the waveguide.
- photo-polymerizable materials are one or more monomers with similar diffusion coefficients. These materials tend to further polymerize after the initial exposure, when subsequently exposed to thermal or photo radiation. These materials are susceptible to changes in their index of refraction with time. Thus, there is a need for better photo-curable adhesives.
- a UN light- curable composition comprises: (a) a first component, said first component being UN light- polymerizable polymer having a first index of refraction; and (b) a second component, the second component being UN light-polymerizable monomer having a second index of refraction, the second index of refraction being higher than said first index of refraction; wherein the first component polymerizes slower upon exposure to UN radiation than the second component.
- the photo-curable composition includes: (a) fluorinated maleimide/fluorinated acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate polymer having glass transition temperature over 150 OC after cationic curing from UN radiation, 20-50% wt percent; (b) diacrylate or dimethacrylate monomer, 35 to 65 wt %; (c) glycidyl methacrylate monomer, 5-20wt %; and (d) at least two photoiniators, 0.5 to 2%.
- a waveguide device comprises: (i) at least one pair of waveguides located such that (a) light radiation propagating through one of these waveguides will be at least partially coupled to a corresponding waveguide and, (b) these waveguides are separated by a gap of about 2 ⁇ m to about 500 ⁇ m; and (ii) another waveguide connecting these pair of waveguides, wherein the gap contains photocurrable composition.
- the composition includes: (a) fluorinated maleimide/fluorinated acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate polymer having glass transition temperature over 150 OC after cationic curing from UN radiation, 20-50%wt percent; (b) diacrylate or dimethacrylate monomer, 35 to 65 wt %; (c) glycidyl methacrylate monomer, 5-20wt %; and (d) at least two photoiniators, 0.5 to 2%.
- a method of making a coupling waveguide device comprises: (i) providing at least one pair of waveguides located such that (a) light radiation propagating through one of these waveguides will be at least partially coupled to a corresponding waveguide and (b) these waveguides are separated by a
- composition including (a) fluorinated maleimide/fluorinated acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate polymer having glass transition temperature over 150 OC after cationic curing from UN radiation, 20-50%wt percent; (b) diacrylate or dimethacrylate monomer, 35 to 65 wt%; (c) glycidyl methacrylate monomer, 5-20wt %; and (d) at least two photoiniators, 0.5 to 2%; (iii) providing photo-radiation through the gap. The photo-radiation photo-polymerizes said composition thereby creating a coupling waveguide between said pair of waveguides.
- Figures 1A-1E illustrate schematically the general process for making low loss waveguide couplers. More specifically figure 1A illustrates a substrate with two optical waveguides and a gap therebetween. Figure IB illustrates the gap of Fig. 1A filled with liquid photo-polymerizable material. Figure 1C illustrates the step of providing UN light, from the external sides of the optical waveguide, to the gap. Figure ID illustrates the exposure of the top surface of the substrate of Fig. IB with UN light. Figure IE illustrates the coupled waveguides after the post bake process.
- Figure IF illustrates two aligned optical fibers held by a fixture and seperated by a distance D.
- Figure 2A a plot illustrating the dependence of refractive index on temperature.
- Figure 2B is a schematic illustration of a planar waveguide array with a substrate containing a trapezoidal shaped gap.
- Figure 3A is an enlarged perspective view of two SMF-28TM fibers embedded in photo-polymerized monomer before end fire curing.
- Figure 3B is an enlarged perspective view of two SMF-28TM fibers embedded in the photo-polymerized polymer after end fire occurring.
- Figure 4A is a schematic illustration of a planar waveguide.
- Figure 4B is a schematic illustration of the WDM device.
- Figure 5A is a micrograph showing a groove with "bow tie” shaped waveguides, due to excessive pre-cure.
- Figure 5B is a micrograph showing loss reducing waveguide, in a gap filled with NOA 63 material.
- Figure 6A is a micrograph showing the waveguide, in a gap written in a photo- polymerizable composition.
- Figure 6B is a micrograph showing waveguides in phase array, a gap filled with NOA 63 material.
- FIG. 1A The general process for making the a coupling device 2 providing low loss coupling of waveguides is shown schematically in Figures 1A through IE. More specifically, waveguides pair 5A, 5B are etched into a planar substrate 10. In order to minimize signal loss, the waveguides 5A and 5B are aligned so that their optical axis are preferably co-linear with one another. The substrate 10 is also etched to form a gap 12 therein. The gap 12 is filled with a liquid photo-polymerizable material 14 such as a composition curable by UN (ultraviolet) radiation.
- a liquid photo-polymerizable material 14 such as a composition curable by UN (ultraviolet) radiation.
- refractive index variations with temperature (dn/dT) of this polymerizable material is -lxlO "4 to -5xl0 "4 and preferably -2xl0 "4 to -4xl0 "4 .
- Such material may be, for example, a halogenated polymer or combination of different halogenated polymers
- the length D of the gap 12 between the two waveguides 5A and 5B is between about 5 ⁇ m and about 500 ⁇ m.
- waveguide array preferably simultaneously into two opposing sides of the substrate 10, to propagate through the waveguides 5A, 5B and through the UV light polymerizable material
- the UV light intensity be about 300 mw/cm 2 or 2 mJ/cm 2 or higher, and that the UV light be coupled into the waveguides 5A, 5B for from about 5 minutes to about 3 hours.
- the intensity of UV light beam exiting waveguides 5A and 5B is about 5 mJ/cm 2 .
- the UV light exiting the waveguides 5A and 5B cures and polymerizes the liquid photo-polymerizable material 14 that is encountered in the light path of this UV light, forming an optical bridge 16 between the two sides of the etched gap.
- the bridge 16 becomes a waveguiding core in the gap region 12, such that the signal light entering the coupling device 2 can effectively couple from the waveguide 5A to opposing the waveguide 5B or vice- versa.
- the insertion loss between waveguides 5A and
- the optical bridge 16 improves coupling between waveguides 5A and 5B and minimizes insertion losses.
- the material 14 in the gap is flood-cured by the UV light. That is, the top surface of the etched gap 12 is exposed by the UV light (same wavelength, lower intensity), to further cure the optical bridge 16 and the remaining polymerizable material 14, so that optical bridge 16 is supported in the elastic medium.
- the optical bridge 16 becomes a core of the waveguide 17 connecting waveguides 5 A, 5B and the area 16 ' surrounding it becomes its cladding.
- the coupling device 2 is baked at about
- the absolute value of the ratio of dn/dT b ⁇ dge to dn/dT waV eguides is about 10 to 40 and preferably about 30 to 40.
- the architecture of figure ID may be advantageous.
- the optimal path length for the wavelength 5A and 5B is now n-L
- OPD optical path difference
- ⁇ (nL) be zero for the waveguide 5A, 5B and 16.
- two optical fibers 18A, 18B be coupled to the input and output waveguides 5A, 5B and the UV light is launched through both optical fibers ISA, 18B so that the photo-polymerizable material 14 is irradiated by UV from both sides simultaneously.
- the UV light exits the waveguides 5A, 5B, the two UV beams overlap and the UV light initiates photo-polymerization.
- the amount of photo-polymerization is proportional to intensity of the UV light.
- the index of refraction is higher than in the surrounding region 16'.
- the core index of refraction i.e., the index of the bridge 16
- clad index of refraction i.e., the index of the surrounding region 16'
- the resultant waveguiding region 16 has a circular or oval cross-section and improves the optical coupling between the two silica waveguides 5A, 5B across the polymer filled gap.
- a phase array is a coupling device with more than one pair of corresponding waveguides 5A, 5B present in the substrate 10.
- the UV beam is launched into the individual arms of the phase array through waveguides such as a star coupler.
- the UV beam is launched into the photo-polymerizable material 14 from both sides of each arm in the waveguide simultaneously, and the guided UV light beams initiate photo-polymerization, forming a plurality of bridges 16.
- the final device has a plurality of waveguiding core regions corresponding to the bridges 16.
- the resultant waveguiding core regions 16 have circular or oval cross-sections and improve the optical coupling between the pairs of silica waveguides 5A, 5B across the gap.
- the gap length D between the pairs of waveguides 5A and 5B is in the range of 20 ⁇ m to 500 ⁇ m is needed to athermalize the device. In several illustrative examples it was approximately 150 ⁇ m.
- the thermally induced optical path differences encountered by signal light propagating through the plurality waveguides 5A, 5B are compensated by the optical path differences induced by the core waveguiding core regions 16 of the waveguides 17, thereby athermalizing the phase array.
- the index of refraction in the photopolymerized region corresponding to waveguide core regions 16 is higher than in the surrounding regions 16'.
- the improved end-fire coupling process results in formation of an optical waveguide in the polymer filled gap between the two silica waveguiding regions.
- the short waveguiding region 16 dramatically reduces the insertion loss and improves overall performance relative to the device operating with free space propagation through the gap.
- a triangular or wedge shaped gap filled with the photo- polymerizable material 14 with the dn/dT value of -1 x 10 "4 to -5 x 10 "4 and, preferably, about -2xl0 "4 to -4x 10 _4 is utilized to provide these waveguiding core regions 16.
- the gap between the waveguide pairs is wedge shaped, the length of the optical bridges 16 differ from one another.
- the improved method of coupling waveguides may also be employed in the making fiber to fiber "splices" by forming a waveguiding core 16 between two aligned fibers. More specifically, the two fibers 20A and 20B are mounted to maintain their alignment relative to one another. In this embodiment (see Fig IF) the two fibers 20 A and 20B are mounted and held by the alignment fixture 22 during the manufacturing process. The two fibers 20A, 20B
- an air gap that is at least l ⁇ m and, preferably, about 5 ⁇ m to about 200 ⁇ m
- Photo-curable polymerizable material 24 is then placed into the gap connecting the two facing ends of the fibers 20 A and 20B, and the UV end-fire curing technique described above is used to photo-cure the material 24 in. the region between these fibers.
- the photo- polymerisable material 24 develops increased index on photoexposure due to densification, through crosslinking.
- the material 24 photo-polymerizes and cross links, forming a high index region 16, preferably by virtue of a permanent compositional change (i.e., molecular phase separation). That is, as described in the previous embodiments, during the cross linking process, the exposure to UV light increases the density of the exposed material and thus increases its index of refraction. Subsequently, UV light sets the rest of the material into a polymer within a lower index (clad) region 16'.
- the photo-polymerizable material 24 is chosen for attributes such as dn/dT, absorption loss, index contrast defining the waveguide and the core index of refraction to minimize reflection at the waveguide to waveguide interfaces.
- this material has a reasonably low absorbtion loss (less than 3dB/cm and preferably less than 2dB/cm).
- the photo-polymerizable material 24 was a commercially available optical adhesive material such as NOA (Norland Optical Adhesive)
- Applicants have developed a more preferable photo-polymerizable composition, which undergoes a permanent compositional change during UV exposure. In this composition several components were mixed to form the photo-polymerazable liquid that, upon exposure to UV light, forms the core/clad waveguide structure 17.
- This composition includes (a) a slow curing component I (a polymer) with low diffusion coefficient (of about
- the composition may also include two photo initiators. The first is a radical initiator and the second is a cationic initiator.
- initiationators together with components I, II, and III can generate a large refractive index difference, upon completion of the curing process, between waveguiding core region 16 and the cladding 16'. More specifically, upon exposure to a localized beam of UV light (about 185nm to about 500nm) the component (II) polymerizes and densifies, forcing the low index component (I) away from the beam path. The resulting cured region has a high index of refraction, and can, thus, act as a core 16 in a waveguiding structure.
- the entire gap is dosed with a relatively low intensity flood illumination of UV radiation. In this step, both components (I) and (II) are polymerized into a relatively low index co-polymer (compared to the core), which serves as a cladding 16' in a waveguiding structure.
- the first component (I) is a cationic polymerizable fluorinated solid polymer with a relatively low refractive index ( 1.43- 1.47). It is preferred that this component (I) be a fluorinated aleimide/fluorinated acrylate/glycidyl methacrylate with a linear coefficient of thermal expansion of about 30-80 ppm/°C. It is more preferable that the linear coefficient of
- thermal expansion be about 30-60 ppm/°C.
- this component Due to this component's highly fluorinated structure, it readily phase separates from the hydrocarbon monomers that comprise the rest of the formulation during photopolymerization. Thus, this component (I), due to its slow reactivity during the UV curing process at room temperature, flows away (by diffusion) from the cured high index region 16 and forms a part of the low index cladding 16'. Component (I) is described in more detail in a related US patent application serial no. 09/704,116 filed on November 1, 2000, which is incorporated by reference herein.
- Component (II) is a high index and highly reactive hydrocarbon liquid monomer. This component is commercially available.
- suitable component II is diacrylate or dimethacrylate.
- This component (II) will be polymerized in the path of the localized UV beam (i.e., the UV beam exiting through the waveguides 5A, 5B) because of the high UV reactivity and high diffusion coefficient compared with the composition (I).
- the third component (III) is small amount of di-functional monomer that can bond directly to both component I and component II. This di-funcational monomer can be polymerized by radical and cationic polymerization. One example of such monomer is glycidyl methacrylate.
- composition (I), index 1.462 at 1550 nm
- composition (III) glycidyl methyacrylate
- composition (III) glycidyl methyacrylate
- 26 mg of cationic initiator (triaryl sulfonium hexafluoroantimonate salts) and 21 mg radical initiator (Radocur 1173 TM) were added into the liquid formulation.
- the clear solution was coated to the ends of the optical fiber, such as Coming's SMF-28TM optical
- composition was post-baked at 150 °C for 15 minutes. Measuring the reflection light
- average refractive index of the core of the connecting waveguide at 20 °C is 1.493.
- UV curable adhesive available from Norland Products, Inc. of Cranbury, NJ was placed into the gap directly adjacent to the facing ends of the fibers and the fibers were actively aligned at 1550nm to optimize the alignment of their cores (see Figure 3A).
- the UV curable adhesive was flood cured from above (i.e., the entire region between the fibers was irradiated with UV using a UV spot curing source or lamp) with a low intensity (less than 10mW/cm 2 )
- UV lamp for 30seconds to pre-gel (partially photo-polymerize) the adhesive.
- the intensity of UV light was about 3mW/cm 2 .
- the flood-curing step raises the viscosity of the material and, therefore, increases the rigidity of the material. Without this step, the light coming out from the end of the fiber will locally cure the adhesive forming the core of the waveguide. This core would be situated in the un-reacted liquid adhesive and will eventually deform due to convection currents produced in the liquid matrix.
- pre-curing also referred as pre-gelling
- the insertion loss (IL) was 4.68 dB. After the waveguide was written the insertion loss was 1.37dB, an improvement of 3.4dB.
- a photo-polymerizable material is placed into the gap between opposing pairs of waveguides and the insertion loss is measured prior to forming the coupling (i.e., connecting) waveguides in this gap.
- the insertion loss is measured at 1550 nm by close coupling two fibers 30A, 30B to the ends of the straight waveguide 5A, 5B and measuring the power relative to a straight waveguide with no gap (see Fig. 4A).
- the cure process involved the following steps:
- the wavelength of UV source was about 365nm and the power was 10mW/cm 2 .
- the actual pre-cure time will depend on the intensity of UV light source and the distance between the UV light source and the gap.
- the pre-cure time will usually be between 1 second and 1 hour, with a preferable time of about 4 seconds to about 0.5 hr.
- Loss 0 ii (Coupling Loss) + (Propagation Loss) 0 ⁇ + 0.047 dB (D- 16 ⁇ m). If a coupling
- LossWaveguide (Coupling Loss) + (Propagation Loss) waV egui de
- the power transmission was measured by close coupling of two fibers to the ends of the waveguide 5A, 5B before and after the writing of the coupling waveguide there between.
- the improvement in power transmission was compared to the gap length dependent insertion loss to determine the efficiency of the waveguide.
- the coupling loss plus propagation loss i.e., material absorption loss
- the coupling loss plus propagation loss is about 0.8 dB +/- 0.3 dB, based on uninterrupted straight waveguide (i.e., a 2.2cm waveguide device with no gap) measurements.
- pre-cure (pre-gel) step was found to be important in achieving lowest possible loss.
- Figure 5 A shows a sample made under good pre-cure conditions, using a fast curing photo polymerizable optical adhesive (NOA 63 available from Norland Products, Inc., of Cranbury, NJ) in the gap.
- This adhesive was pre-cured for eight (8) seconds by illumination with 10 mw UV source from a distance of about 2 cm, and then end-fire cured for one
- pre- cure time 0 seconds
- Figure 5B shows an example of a sample that was pre-cured for too long before end-fire curing.
- the gap was filled with another fast curring photo polymerizable optical adhesive, NOA 81 (also available from Norland Products, Inc.), and was pre-cured for 30 seconds and end-fire cured for 20 minutes.
- NOA 81 also available from Norland Products, Inc.
- a "bowtie" pattern was formed in the polymer, the result of the UV beam divergence across the entire gap width from both waveguides.
- the loss improvement measured in this example was only OJdB relative to a gap width dependent loss of 4.8 dB.
- the examples show how the above described process results in improvements of loss and how the pre-curing step results in better quality of waveguides formed by the end-fire curing process.
- index contrast of a written waveguide is about 1%. Then the propagating mode is well confined in the waveguide, contributing to the low insertion loss.
- the formed waveguide is stable as the index gradient is defined by a cone that is depleted in the low index material.
- phase array compared to those previously described devices is that when the UV source is launched into the input and output waveguides, the light follows a path that first enters a slab waveguide with free space propagation before impinging on the phase array, a group of 50 to
- FIG. 6B shows an optical micrograph of the phase array region filled with NOA 63, and exposed for 1 hour using multimode fiber end-fire curing (maximize UV power coupling into the planar waveguides), with low intensity flood curing.
- the micrograph shows a region in the gap phase array where 10 waveguides were written with the single exposure.
- this technique can be used to couple light between fibers with significantly different material properties, where fusion splicing is difficult to impossible.
- Thermo-optic devices made by replacing a section of silica planar waveguides, for example in one arm of a Mach Zehnder device, with UV waveguidable polymer with large negative dn/dT could be used to maintain low loss and to reduce switching power by a factor of 25.
Abstract
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AU2002307120A AU2002307120A1 (en) | 2001-05-07 | 2002-04-03 | Photosensitive material suitable for making waveguides and method of making waveguides utilizing this photosensitive optical material |
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US09/850,341 | 2001-05-07 | ||
US09/850,394 US6599957B2 (en) | 2001-05-07 | 2001-05-07 | Photosensitive material suitable for making waveguides and method of making waveguides utilizing this photosensitive optical material |
US09/850,341 US6744951B2 (en) | 2001-05-07 | 2001-05-07 | Waveguides and method of making them |
US09/850,394 | 2001-05-07 |
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WO2001038411A1 (en) * | 1999-11-23 | 2001-05-31 | Corning Incorporated | N-halogenated maleimide copolymers and optical materials thereof |
US6306563B1 (en) * | 1999-06-21 | 2001-10-23 | Corning Inc. | Optical devices made from radiation curable fluorinated compositions |
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2002
- 2002-04-03 WO PCT/US2002/010622 patent/WO2002090401A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2002-04-03 AU AU2002307120A patent/AU2002307120A1/en not_active Abandoned
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US6233388B1 (en) * | 1997-11-05 | 2001-05-15 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Polymer optical waveguide and method for fabricating the same |
US6306563B1 (en) * | 1999-06-21 | 2001-10-23 | Corning Inc. | Optical devices made from radiation curable fluorinated compositions |
WO2001038411A1 (en) * | 1999-11-23 | 2001-05-31 | Corning Incorporated | N-halogenated maleimide copolymers and optical materials thereof |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU2002307120A8 (en) | 2008-01-03 |
AU2002307120A1 (en) | 2002-11-18 |
WO2002090401A3 (en) | 2007-11-01 |
WO2002090401A9 (en) | 2003-01-23 |
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