Simulation of self-organized parallel waveguides targeting nanoscale luminescent objects

Abstract

We simulated self-organized parallel waveguides constructed from two parallel input waveguides with a core width of 600 nm in a photopolymer using the finite-difference time-domain method. When write beams of 400 nm in wavelength are introduced from the input waveguides 4 μm apart, straight parallel waveguides are constructed in the photopolymer. When decreasing the distance between the input waveguides, the parallel waveguides attract each other and finally merge. By putting 600 nm wide luminescent objects at the waveguide destinations, self-organized parallel waveguides targeting the objects are constructed to pull them back to the correct destinations. The self-aligned parallel coupling waveguides are constructed even when a misalignment of 900 nm exists between the input waveguides and the luminescent objects. For write beams of 650 nm, the allowed misalignment increases due to increased divergence angles.