Polymer-based waveguides and optical switching

• Published in: Optical materials 1998, Vol.9 (1), p.334-341
• Main Authors: Bader, M.A., Keller, H.-M., Marowsky, G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Application fields; Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Nonlinear optics; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Optical bistability, multistability and switching, including local field effects; Optical bistability, multistability, and switching; Optical waveguides and couplers; Optics; Physics; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Technology of polymers
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/S0925-3467(97)00078-5

The fabrication and linear optical characterization of a Bragg reflector in a planar polymeric waveguide, suitable for an all-optical switching device, is reported. Surface corrugation gratings with a grating constant of 349 nm were produced in different polymeric films of poly(phenylene-vinylene), polydiacetylene and polystyrene by excimer laser photoablation. Furthermore, the gap in the linear transmission spectrum of the modulated waveguide was measured and compared with the result of numerical simulations. A good agreement can only be found if a non-uniform grating with a small chirp is assumed. This small deviation from the uniform grating cannot be resolved with a scanning electron microscope. However, this linear optical investigation helps to further improve the fabrication process and opens the possibility to yield a well-defined grating with a prescribed modulation strength, which is a vital requirement for the proper operation of a nonlinear all-optical switch.