Thomas Paatzsch

Polymer waveguides for telecom, datacom, and sensor applications

LIGA, the process sequence of deep lithography, electroforming and molding has been used for the fabrication of polymer waveguide components with passive fiber-to-chip coupling. The variety of 3D structures that can be realized, the high precision that can be achieved and especially the possibility of cost-effective mass production make these components most relevant for telecom, datacom and sensor applications. A novel waveguide design for a singlemode Y- splitter acting as telecommunication wavelengths was developed and realized together with the coupling scheme described above. It shows superior performance to conventional layouts and is ideally adapted to a fabrication using LIGA. Combining LIGA with high precision diamond machining multi-level tools with the complementary waveguide and fiber alignment structures were fabricated. For the first time a very high precision of better than 1 micrometers was achieved for heights and widths of all critical structures. A large number of molded parts was fabricated by hot embossing in PMMA. Detailed investigations proved that a reproducibility of better than 0.5 micrometers for the replicated structures is possible. By filling in a suitable core material into the waveguide prestructures and fixing fibers in the fiber grooves, fully pigtailed Y-splitters have been fabricated. This is an easy passive fiber-to-waveguide alignment with a significant reduction of manufacturing costs. First optical measurements on the samples showed an excess loss of 3.5 dB. Uniformity values were less than 0.6 dB and already meet Bellcore specifications. As another application of this fiber-to-waveguide coupling scheme a novel 4 X 4 star coupler for use in multimode optical bus systems is presented. First samples show an insertion loss of less than 9 dB and a uniformity better than 2 dB.

Custom specific fabrication of integrated optical devices by excimer laser ablation of polymers

Excimer laser ablation was used for direct writing of multimode waveguide structures with passive fiber alignment grooves in polymers. First, integrated optical multimode components were simulated by the method of beam propagation to optimize the optical performance of the design. Then the CNC codes for laser machining were created directly from the corresponding CAD data. ArF Excimer laser radiation of wavelength (lambda) equals 193 nm was used for ablation of adjacent grooves with a cross sectional area of 50 X 50 micrometers 2 and lengths in the order of several mm. The laser-written grooves were filled with a liquid pre-polymer which after UV-curing served as the waveguiding structures. The smoothest surfaces during laser ablation were achieved by applying several ablation scans with reduced material removal rates but higher feedrates. Debris formation, also influencing the surface roughness, was suppressed or minimized by making use of capable polymers. With the method of laser ablation linear waveguides of length 1 equals 10 mm with insertion losses Li in the rang of 1.3 to 1.9 dB have been realized for (lambda) equals 1310 nm, depending on the polymer used. By means of 1 X 2-splitters, 4 X 4 as well as 4 X 16 starcouplers it was shown that laser ablation is a well suited tool for rapid prototyping of integrated optical multimode elements.

Polymeric optical MEMS

As micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems and devices evolve from prototypes to products, the need for cost-effective mass production techniques becomes crucial. This challenging cost goal can be reached using mass replication techniques like injection molding and hot embossing.In order to meet the special demands of miniaturization these replication techniques have been modified incorporating variothermal process control, an evacuation of the mold chamber and a modification of the molding parameters including elevated temperatures. Based on these techniques numerous micro- optical systems have been developed including a twelve fold multi-fiber connectors with an average insertion loss of 0.35 dB, an optical bench using polymeric alignment structures on a silicon substrate, a 4 by 4 star coupler with passive fiber alignment, a 1 by 2 singlemode fiber switch, and a singlemode 4 by 4 optical matrix switch. In these systems geometrical tolerances of one micrometers and below have been obtained allowing passive alignment of multimode and singlemode fibers during the assembly process and high precision positioning of fibers during operation.

Very low-loss passive fiber-to-chip coupling with tapered fibers

A novel passive fiber-to-chip coupling based on the use of fiber tapers embedded in a guiding structure is proposed. By beam-propagation calculations it is verified that this new coupling method exhibits a very low insertion loss. Major advantages of the proposed method compared with butt coupling are demonstrated by simulation results: first, tolerance requirements for the fibers, e.g., diameter variations and core eccentricity, and for fabrication of the alignment structure are reduced by at least 1 order of magnitude. Second, coupling to waveguides of nearly arbitrary dimensions and refractive indices seems to be possible. Experimental results on thermal drawing of fiber tapers are presented and used as input data for the simulations. A concept for fabrication of the new coupling method with the Lithographic Galvanik Abformung (LIGA) technique is presented.

Micro-Optical Components for Information Technology Fabricated Via Liga Technique

We present the design and technical realization of exemplary micro-optical structures and devices for optical communication technology: A precision ferrule with (0.35 ± 0.2) dB coupling loss for 12-fold fibre ribbons, a 4 x 4 fibre-optical cross connect with non-moving mirrors, and a 4 x 4 multimode integrated-optical star coupler with less than 2dB uniformity have been fabricated by combination of the LIGA technique with precision engineering methods, e. g. electro discharge machining or diamond fly-cut milling. Further, “contactless embossing” for the in-place production of microlenses is introduced and discussed. The structures and devices presented are characterized by high precision, high performance, ease of assembly, and mass production capability via standard replication methods. All the main components have been made from thermoplastic materials via precision injection or compression moulding.

Advanced micromoulding of optical components

There is a growing need for micro-optical components in the field of tele- and datacom applications. Such components have to be very precise and should be available in reasonable numbers. Microtechnology provides manufacturing techniques that fulfill both requirements. Using micro electro discharge machining, laser micromachining, ultra precision milling and deep lithography with subsequent electroforming methods, complex tools for the replication of highly precise plastic parts have been manufactured. In many cases a combination of methods enumerated above gives a tool which shows both functionality and cost-efficiency. As examples we present the realization of integrated-optical components with passive fiber-waveguide coupling used as components in optical networks and as velocity sensors for two-phase flows, like liquids containing small gas bubbles or particles. In the first case multimode 4 X 4 star couplers have been manufactured in a pilot series that show excess loss values below 3 dB and a uniformity better than 3 dB at 830 nm. This performance becomes possible by using a compression molding process. By stamping the microstructured mold into a semifinished PMMA plate exact replication of the molds as well as very low surface roughness of the waveguide side walls could be observed. In the second case the waveguide channels of the flow sensors show dimensions of between 20 micrometer and 100 micrometer and an aspect ratio of about 20. These structures have been replicated by injection molding of PMMA using variotherm process treatment with a cycle time of about 2 - 3 min.

Manufacturing microcomponents for optical information technology using the LIGA technique

Recently, splices and connectors for fibers ribbons, optical cross connects and especially planar waveguide devices have been fabricated via LIGA in combination with precision engineering techniques. LIGA combines high precision and mass production capability, necessary for products designed for applications in the telecom and datacom market. In this presentation the fabrication of three-level molding and embossing tools is presented, which have been used for the manufacturing of waveguide prestructures consisting of waveguide channels and bier-to-waveguide coupling grooves. The precision of the tools is better than 1 micrometers in all directions, which allows for simple passive pigtailing. A first product, a precision of the tool is better than 1 micrometers in all directions, which allows for simple passive pigtailing. A first product, sixfold array of 4 X 4 multimode star couplers has been realized. The molding behavior of PMMA and COC material has been tested and compared. Production and assembly was tested by fabricating a series of 300 star couplers. The average insertion los has been found better than 9dB, the uniformity better than 3dB, both measured at 830nm. THe device is designed for application in optical backplanes for high-speed computers.