Nanoimprint lithography fabrication of waveguide-integrated optical gratings with inexpensive stamps

We demonstrate that a replica grating can be effectively used as an inexpensive stamp for nanoimprint lithography to pattern diffractive optical couplers integrated with planar optical waveguides. Imprinted grating patterns were integrated with silicon oxynitride waveguide films to be used as an eva...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microelectronic engineering 2010-10, Vol.87 (10), p.1846-1851
Main Authors: Grego, Sonia, Huffman, Alan, Lueck, Matthew, Stoner, Brian R., Lannon, John
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anti-adhesive layer
Applied sciences
Circuit properties
Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science
rheology
Density
Diffraction gratings
Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits
Electronics
Etching
Exact sciences and technology
Grating
Gratings (spectra)
Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides
Lithography
Materials science
Methods of nanofabrication
Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology)
Nanolithography
Nanomaterials
Nanoscale pattern formation
Nanostructure
Optical and optoelectronic circuits
Optical waveguide
Physics
Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices
Stamp
Thermal nanoimprint lithography
Waveguides
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Summary:We demonstrate that a replica grating can be effectively used as an inexpensive stamp for nanoimprint lithography to pattern diffractive optical couplers integrated with planar optical waveguides. Imprinted grating patterns were integrated with silicon oxynitride waveguide films to be used as an evanescent wave sensor in the input grating-coupler configuration. An anti-adhesion layer using an inexpensive, two-step chemical functionalization was developed for the stamps. The stamps were able to withstand imprint temperatures ranging from 140 to 190 °C and high fidelity imprints were obtained. The groove pattern was integrated in waveguide films by etch transfer and light-coupling properties of gratings with 1.2 μm pitch were tested using a λ = 1.55 μm laser. Compared to etched silicon masters, replica optical gratings provide uniform pattern density over their entire surface with no unstructured regions, are inexpensive, and readily available for R&D use.
ISSN:0167-9317
1873-5568
DOI:10.1016/j.mee.2009.11.003