Replication of precise optical waveguide for an optical device

Myung Yung Jeong

doi:10.1117/12.647175

3 March 2006 Replication of precise optical waveguide for an optical device

Myung Yung Jeong

Proceedings Volume 6124, Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits VIII; 61241H (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.647175
Event: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices 2006, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

For a simple, precise and low-cost planar lightwave circuit (PLC) device, we describe a novel method using polymer mold. Channel waveguide, made of polymer for transmitting a signal, is fabricated by using the replication method. Among replication techniques, NIL is preferred because of its simplicity and short process time and ease of precise manufacturing. NIL technique requires the precise mold as an embossing tool. By this time, the popular molds for embossing are silicon, nickel, and quartz, but these are not desirable due to their high cost, complex fabrication process, short life-time by brittleness and so on. In this study, we are trying to replace by polymer mold for mass production. We choose PDMS liquid and epoxy resin as a mold material for UV embossing and hot embossing, respectively. The used materials show superior quality from the viewpoint of mechanical strength, dimensional stability, and optical transparency. In advance, we make PDMS mold for UV embossing. With the developed distortion-free and void- free epoxy mold, we perform heat-treatment by sub-Tg annealing to improve the mechanical properties of mold. And we fabricate epoxy mold for hot embossing using the fabricated PDMS frame. The fabrication of an optical core is reported using NIL technique with fabricated polymer molds. This fabricated pattern for optical device is about 7 μm at depth, 6 μm at width. These values have the small difference below 1 μm compared to the original stamp and the surface roughness of core is about 14 nm root mean square. This is satisfactory value for a low-loss optical waveguide and it also represent that the fabricated polymer mold shows the possibility of mold for embossing.

Citation Download Citation

Myung Yung Jeong "Replication of precise optical waveguide for an optical device", Proc. SPIE 6124, Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits VIII, 61241H (3 March 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.647175

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