Effects of gamma rays on elastomer multimode optical channel waveguides

Abstract

The paper reports on properties of the elastomer multimode optical channel waveguides. The waveguides were fabricated by the doctor blade technique using the nickel mold with the dimension of the core 50 × 50 µm2 and irradiated by gamma rays from 60Co source with the dose rate 1 kGy/h. The applied irradiations were 14.6 kGy and 33.9 kGy and we studied the influence of gamma rays on the properties of the elastomer waveguides. We measured transmission spectra, refractive indices and the waveguide propagation losses. The lowest values of the optical losses were 0.21 dB/cm at 1310 nm and 0.35 dB/cm at 850 nm in the samples irradiated with dose 14.6 kGy and 0.55 dB/cm at 1310 nm and 0.66 dB/cm at 850 nm for the sample irradiated with a higher dose 33.9 kGy. The average value of the optical losses at 650 nm was 0.78 dB/cm (dose 14.6 kGy) and 1.05 dB/cm (dose 33.9 kGy). Optical silicone elastomers have unique properties and can be used for the realization of the optical waveguides for interconnection or realization photonics structures for applications in extreme environments.