Planar optical waveguide assembly

• US 20050175301A1
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Silicones Corporation (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Geoffrey Bruce Gardner, Randall Gene Schmidt
• Inventors: Schmidt, Randall Gene, Gardner, Geoffrey Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,358,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/105
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3405 with at least two coatings of organic materials C03C17/36, C03C17/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/046 characterised by the core material
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12097 Ridge, rib or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/121 Channel; buried or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/132 by deposition of thin films
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/138 by using polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0005 Production of optical devices or components in so far as characterised by the lithographic processes or materials used therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/001 Phase modulating patterns, e.g. refractive index patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/0757 Macromolecular compounds containing Si-O, Si-C or Si-N bonds G03F7/0752 takes precedence

Abstract

A planar optical waveguide assembly prepared by a method comprising the steps of (i) applying a curable polymer composition to a surface of a substrate to form a polymer film; (ii) curing the polymer film to form a lower clad layer; (iii) applying a silicone composition to the lower clad layer to form a silicone film; (iv) exposing at least one selected region of the silicone film to radiation having a wavelength of from 150 to 800 nm to produce a partially exposed film having at least one exposed region and at least one non-exposed region; (v) removing the non-exposed region of the partially exposed film with a developing solvent to form a patterned film; and (vi) heating the patterned film for an amount of time sufficient to form at least one silicone core having a refractive index of from 1.3 to 1.7 at 23° C. for light having a wavelength of 589 nm; wherein the lower clad layer has a refractive index less than the refractive index of the silicone core.

Claims

1. A planar optical waveguide assembly prepared by a method comprising the steps of:

(i) applying a curable polymer composition to a surface of a substrate to form a polymer film;

(ii) curing the polymer film to form a lower clad layer;

(iii) applying a silicone composition to the lower clad layer to form a silicone film, wherein the silicone composition comprises;

(A) an organopolysiloxane containing an average of at least two silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule,

(B) an organosilicon compound containing an average of at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule in a concentration sufficient to cure the composition, and

(C) a catalytic amount of a photoactivated hydrosilylation catalyst;

(iv) exposing at least one selected region of the silicone film to radiation having a wavelength of from 150 to 800 nm to produce a partially exposed film having at least one exposed region and at least one non-exposed region;

(v) removing the non-exposed region of the partially exposed film with a developing solvent to form a patterned film; and

(vi) heating the patterned film for an amount of time sufficient to form at least one silicone core having a refractive index of from 1.3 to 1.7 at 23°

C. for light having a wavelength of 589 nm;

wherein the lower clad layer has a refractive index less than the refractive index of the silicone core.

2. The planar optical waveguide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the organopolysiloxane is an organopolysiloxane resin.

3. The planar optical waveguide assembly according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises (vii) covering the lower clad layer and the silicone core with a second curable polymer composition to form a second polymer film and (viii) curing the second polymer film to form an upper clad layer, wherein the upper clad layer has a refractive index less than the refractive index of the silicone core.

4. A planar optical waveguide prepared by a method comprising the steps of:

(i) applying a curable polymer composition to a surface of a substrate to form a polymer film;

(ii) curing the polymer film to form a lower clad layer;

(iii) applying a silicone composition to the lower clad layer to form a silicone film, wherein the silicone composition comprises;

(A) an organopolysiloxane containing an average of at least two silicon-bonded alkenyl groups per molecule,

(B) an organosilicon compound containing an average of at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule in a concentration sufficient to cure the composition, and

(C) a catalytic amount of a photoactivated hydrosilylation catalyst;

(iv) exposing at least one selected region of the silicone film to radiation having a wavelength of from 150 to 800 nm to produce a partially exposed film having at least one exposed region and at least one non-exposed region;

(v) heating the partially exposed film for an amount of time such that the exposed region is substantially insoluble in a developing solvent and the non-exposed region is soluble in the developing solvent;

(vi) removing the non-exposed region of the heated film with the developing solvent to form a patterned film; and

(vii) heating the patterned film for an amount of time sufficient to form at least one silicone core having a refractive index of from 1.3 to 1.7 at 23°

C. for light having a wavelength of 589 nm;

wherein the lower clad layer has a refractive index less than the refractive index of the silicone core.

5. The planar optical waveguide assembly according to claim 4, wherein the organopolysiloxane is an organopolysiloxane resin.

6. The planar optical waveguide assembly according to claim 4, wherein the method further comprises (viii) covering the lower clad layer and the silicone core with a second curable polymer composition to form a second polymer film and (ix) curing the second polymer film to form an upper clad layer, wherein the upper clad layer has a refractive index less than the refractive index of the silicone core.