title: Low excess losses in a Y-branching plastic optical waveguide formed through injection molding.
abstract: We have demonstrated low excess losses (1.9 dB at 660-nm wavelength) in a Y-branching plastic optical waveguide (POWG) that was fabricated using an injection-molding method. The waveguide had an amorphous vinyl polymer as the core and transparent polyolefin as the cladding. We then studied a method for isolating the excess loss in the Y-branching POWG, and with that method we estimated the lower limit of the loss to be 1.41 dB at 660 nm. The sample had a heat-resistant plastic optical fiber (POF) with a core composed of crosslinked poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) copolymer, and a cladding composed of poly (tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene). The POWG has sufficient reliability for ordinary uses below 100 °C. A model for a bidirectional wavelength-division multiplexing opticalcommunication system with the developed Y-branching POWG and the POF was also demonstrated.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takezawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akasaka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taketani