Optical Channel Waveguide Arrays Coupled To Integrated Charge-Coupled Devices And Their Applications

Abstract

Device configurations of optical channel waveguide arrays coupled to integrated charge-coupled devices (CCDs) will be presented. Optical and electrical performance of these devices will be discussed. A channel waveguide array formed in a fan-out pattern is then introduced as a means of enhancing optical waveguide focal plane resolution in integrated optical devices utilizing optical waveguide lenses. High spatial resolution can thus be obtained without making detector spacings too small, thus avoiding detector problems with regard to fabrication, cross talk, linearity and charge transfer efficiency. To fabricate the fan-out channel waveguide array, a new differential heating and photoresist lift-off process is discussed which allows high resolution patterns to be reproducibly formed in polyurethane. Propagation of light from a HeNe laser in these fan-out channel waveguide arrays has been demonstrated with only a small amount of scattering. Low scattering is consistent with the smooth channel waveguide surfaces apparent in scanning electron micro-scope pictures presented. Applications of optical channel waveguide arrays coupled to integrated CCDs to fiber multiplexing and transversal filtering will also be discussed.