Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Methods – Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
Patent
1996-05-23
1999-11-16
Thibodeau, Paul
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Methods
Surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
1562755, 156295, B32B 3124, B29D 1100
Patent
active
059850841
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to organic optical components and the preparation thereof.
Optical components may be used to transmit and manipulate light signals in various fields of technology such as telecommunications, data communications, avionic control systems, sensor networks and automotive control systems.
Generally such optical components are classed as either passive or active. Examples of passive optical components are those which provide the, polarisation control, transmission, distribution, splitting, combining, multiplexing and demultiplexing of the light signal. Active optical components include those requiring electrical connections to power and/or control circuitry, such as laser sources and photodiode detectors, and/or to manipulate the light signal using the electro-optic effect, such as provided by certain non-linear optical materials.
It is known to use inorganic materials, such as silica on silicon and ion-exchanges glass, to produce passive optical components. The methods of manufacture of such inorganic passive optical components are based on the lithograhic technologies used in the mass production of semiconductor wafers. However, the subsequent connecting of optical fibres to such components is complex and lengthy and requires the use of active alignment techniques which are increasingly more difficult as the complexity of the components increase.
Inorganic active optical components can be prepared by the combination of active semiconductor materials, such a lithium niobate, into inorganic passive optical components, such as silica. However, the preparation of such active components is difficult such that their occurrence and use is uncommon.
Organic passive optical components comprising polymeric materials are known using direct and indirect lithographic processes. In the indirect lithographic process a master pattern is formed from an organic or inorganic resist material. The master pattern is then replicated by electrodeposition to provide a series of moulds which are then filled with a suitable polymeric material to produce the organic passive optical components.
Organic optical components usually comprise two or more polymers having different refractive indices. The polymer having the higher refractive index when surrounded by the other polymer can function as a wave guide which allows for the transmission and manipulation of a light signal. The higher refractive index polymer is usually introduced into the other polymer as a resin which is then cured. Such a resin needs to be introduced in a precise and controlled manner in order to reduce optical loss from the subsequent waveguide. Hitherto, the processes used in the preparation of such waveguides lead to the formation of a relatively thick and uneven residual layer of resin being present in the organic optical component which when cured results in a relatively thick layer of polymer of variable thinness which gives rise to problems such as unacceptably high optical losses, non-uniform output and inconsistent performance thereby reducing the incentive to use such organic optical components.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an organic optical component having at least one significantly improved characteristic and a method which allows the mass production of such a component.
Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention provides a polymeric structure for use in the preparation of an organic optical component which polymeric structure comprises refractive index, the first layer having a surface in which is defined at least one retaining feature; one retaining feature, the second polymer having a second reactive index which is greater than the first refractive index; and than 1.5 .mu.m over the surface of the first layer.
In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an organic optical component comprising: refractive index, the first layer having a surface in which is defined at least one retaining feature; one retaining feature, the second polymer having a second refractive index which
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Carter Neil
Harvey Thomas Grierson
Ryan Timothy George
Summersgill Philip
Thorne Andrew John
Beard, Jr. R. William
Epigem Ltd.
Tarazano D. Lawrence
Thibodeau Paul
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