title: Fabrication of optical waveguides by imprinting: usage of positive tone resist as a mould for UV-curable polymer.
abstract: Optical ridge type waveguides based on UV-curable polymer were fabricated by imprinting method. Positive tone resist patterned on a silicon wafer was used as a mould. The characterization of waveguides was carried out by coupling TE-polarized light from a tapered fiber into a waveguide with 30 mm length and mapping the intensity distribution with another tapered fiber at the output facet of a waveguide. Proper single- or multimode operation was observed depending on the waveguide width being either 2 microm or 6 microm. Experimental observations on the mode profiles were also supported by the simulation results. Average power transmissions of 32% at 1530 nm wavelength and 45% at 1310 nm wavelength were characterized. The results suggest that the simple mould fabrication process might be a useful technique for device prototyping and that the performance of replicated waveguides can meet the requirements for certain applications.
authors.affiliation: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Kaitovayla 1, Fin-90571 Oulu, Finland. Jussi.hiltunen@vtt.fi
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hiltunen
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiltunen
authors.forename: Jarkko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puustinen
authors.forename: Jyrki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lappalainen
authors.forename: Pentti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karioja
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D055096:Optical Devices; D010777:Photochemistry / Q000379:methods; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers