On-substrate cleaving of sol-gel waveguide

Details On-substrate cleaving of sol-gel waveguide On-substrate cleaving of sol-gel waveguide

1999-07-01

2001-10-30

Angebranndt, Martin (Department: 1756)

Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th

Imaging affecting physical property of radiation sensitive...

Making named article

C430S394000, C430S330000, C430S049700, C430S088000, C430S130000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06309803

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for on-substrate cleaving sol-gel waveguides.
2. Brief Description of the Pior Art
Cleaving is currently used for producing a clean endface of a channel waveguide in view of optically connecting this channel waveguide to an optical fiber.
Cleaving is also used for coupling light from an external source such as an optical fiber, a laser diode, a light-emitting diode, etc. into a channel waveguide.
Cleaving can also be useful in coupling light between two waveguides made on two different substrates.
Cleaving can further be used to create a certain opening along a waveguide for instance to insert another component or material.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient method for on-substrate cleaving a waveguide.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method for on-substrate cleaving a sol-gel waveguide, comprising:
producing on a substrate a sol-gel buffer layer defining first and second adjacent buffer layer portions;
masking the first buffer layer portion;
exposing the second buffer layer portion to UV light to make this second buffer layer portion resistant to a given solvent;
producing a sol-gel guide layer on the sol-gel buffer layer after exposure of the second buffer layer portion to UV light;
masking the sol-gel guide layer with a mask having an elongated opening presenting the general configuration of the waveguide, this elongated opening crossing an intersection between the first and second buffer layer portions;
exposing the masked sol-gel guide layer to UV light to form the waveguide in the sol-gel guide layer, exposure to UV light rendering the waveguide resistant to the given solvent;
soaking in the given solvent the substrate and the UV exposed sol-gel buffer and guide layers to dissolve the first buffer layer portion and the sol-gel guide layer around the waveguide whereby said waveguide has a first section adhered to the second buffer layer portion and a second section spaced apart from the substrate due to dissolution of the first suffer layer portion; and
cleaving the waveguide at the above mentioned intersection to form a clean endface of the waveguide.
In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention:
production of the sol-gel buffer layer comprises:
preparing a sol-gel material by (a) adding 20 g MAPTMS to 1.08 ml HCl and stirring for 45 minutes, (b) adding 7.5 g Zr(OPr)
4
to 1.4 ml MAA and stirring for 45 minutes, (c) mixing together the above two constituents (a) and (b), (d) adding to the mixed material obtained in (c) 2.4 ml H
2
O and stirring for 45 minutes, and (e) in 30 ml of the liquid obtained in (d) adding 0.5 g Irgacure 1800;
producing a thin film of this sol-gel material; and
baking the film of sol-gel material at a temperature of 70° C. for 10 minutes to produce the sol-gel buffer layer;
the second buffer layer portion is exposed to UV light at a wavelength of 365 nm;
production of the sol-gel guide layer comprises:
preparing a sol-gel material by (a) adding 30 g MAPTMS to 1.62 ml HCl and stirring for 45 minutes, (b) adding 22.32 g Zr(OPr)
4
to 4.2 ml MAA and stirring for 45 minutes, (c) mixing together the above two constituents (a) and (b), (d) adding to the mixed material obtained in (c) 3.0 ml H
2
O and stirring for 45 minutes, and (e) in 30 ml of the liquid obtained in (d) adding 0.856 g Irgacure 1800;
producing a thin film of this sol-gel material; and
baking the film of sol-gel material at a temperature of 70° C. for 15 minutes to produce the sol-gel guide layer;
the masked sol-gel guide layer is exposed to UV light at a wavelength of 365 nm; and
the substrate and the UV exposed sol-gel buffer and guide layers are soaked in Butanol for a short duration ranging between 30 seconds and 5 minutes.
The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.


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