Abstract

A laser direct writing (LDW) method is implemented as a cost efficient polymer waveguide (WG) fabrication method for prototyping large substrates for optical backplanes and optical interconnection assemblies. The LDW setup utilizes a 3-axis air-bearing motion platform to reduce WG fabrication error to within ±0.15μm. A UV laser diode coupled single mode fiber with a focusing lens module is capable of LDW WGs at both multimode (50μm) and single mode (6μm) dimensions. Correlation between LDW parameters and fabricated WG dimensions using Dow Corning® OE-4140 UV-Cured Optical Elastomer (ncore=1.5142, nclad=1.5064) is discussed theoretically and confirmed experimentally for both applications. A theoretical model is developed and utilized for producing LDW multi-mode (0.04dB/cm, λ=850nm) and single mode (0.55dB/cm, λ=1310nm) WGs. Measured propagation losses of LDW WGs are comparable to losses of photolithographic multi-mode (0.04dB/cm @ 850nm) and single mode (0.59dB/cm @ 1310nm) WG builds. LDW multi-mode and single mode WG radial bend and crossing losses are evaluated for advanced optical communication channel routing capabilities and do not exhibit significant deviations from photolithographic-manufactured WG device loss.

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