Oliver Roesch

High-performance low-cost fabrication method for integrated polymer optical devices

For all optical path networks there is a need for optical crossconnect systems and switching matrices. Using polymer materials and technologies, not only low cost components but low power consumption devices can be fabricated. We optimize ORMOCERs, a new class of polymer materials, which combine the specific advantages of organic polymers and inorganic glasses, with respect to the need of photonic applications. They exhibit a high thermal stability of up to 250 degrees C and a low optical attenuation of 0.2 dB/cm at 1.3 micrometers and 0.4 dB/cm at 1.55 micrometers .

Enhanced performance of polymer waveguides by replication and UV patterning in ORMOCER

Recent results on waveguide device fabrication by replication of inorganic-organic copolymers (ORMOCERs) are presented. The use of optimized ORMOCER resins offers advantages over conventional organic polymers. The organic as well as inorganic crosslinking is responsible to high thermal and chemical stability and thus an improved stability of the waveguide devices. Fluorination of ORMOCER side chains reduces the NIR absorption to < 0.4 dB/cm at 1.55 micrometers and < 0.3 dB/cm at 1.3 micrometers . Furthermore, the synthesis of purely inorganically crosslinked CH-free ORMOCER is possible. The refractive index can be tuned so that highly fluorinated core material can be combined with low-cost unfluorinated cladding material. The influence of the sidewall roughness of replication tools on scattering losses is investigated, and methods to fabricate smooth original structures have been developed leading to an additional scattering loss < 0.1 dB/cm in single-mode strip waveguides even at visible wavelengths. Furthermore, an improved deforming behavior is achieved. UV-patterning by UV-induced crosslinking is a second waveguide fabrication method used in ORMOCER. Applications of ORMOCERs in thermo- optical switching nodes are discussed.