Thick hybrid silica-zirconia sol-gel film for single-step fabrication of channel waveguide

Miao He; Jing Bu; Xiaocong Yuan

doi:10.1117/12.643640

24 February 2006 Thick hybrid silica-zirconia sol-gel film for single-step fabrication of channel waveguide

Miao He, Jing Bu, Xiaocong Yuan

Proceedings Volume 6123, Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies X; 61230H (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.643640
Event: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices 2006, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

An improved synthesis of inorganic-organic hybrid silica-zirconia sol-gel material has been developed, and it has controllable refractive index and can form ten-micron-thick film in a single spin coating process. The novel synthesis was realized by uniform hydrolysis and subsequent copolymerization of [3-(methacryloxy) propyl] trimethoxysilane and zirconium propoxide. The optical properties of the prepared sol-gel material was studied and characterized by a series of experiments. Compared with the sol-gel films reported before, the sol-gel film had good internal homogeneity and surface uniformity due to single layer structure. We employed the hybrid silica-zirconia sol-gel film in the singlestep fabrication of a dielectric channel waveguide on a quartz substrate. In the fabrication process, the sol-gel film was exposed to UV through a binary mask, and the exposed zone within the film formed a channel waveguide core because of its refractive index increase. The channel waveguide core was then covered again with a layer of the same kind of sol-gel film, and the unexposed zone within the sol-gel film, along with the new cover layer, formed the cladding of final dielectric channel waveguide. The novel sol synthesis enabled a precise control of the geometrical and optical parameters of the channel waveguide. In the 1.55 μm telecommunication window, the fundamental modes TE₀₀ and TM₀₀ in the channel waveguide had acceptable transmission losses of 1.20 ± 0.06 dB / cm and 1.79 ± 0.06 dB / cm, respectively.

Citation Download Citation

Miao He, Jing Bu, and Xiaocong Yuan "Thick hybrid silica-zirconia sol-gel film for single-step fabrication of channel waveguide", Proc. SPIE 6123, Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies X, 61230H (24 February 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.643640

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available