Apparatus and method for a singulation of polymer waveguides using photolithography
First Claim
1. A method, comprising;
- forming a first polymer cladding layer on a first surface of a substrate;
patterning the first polymer layer to form a plurality of bottom cladding elements on the first surface of the substrate, each of the bottom cladding elements structurally independent from the other bottom cladding elements patterned on the first surface of the substrate;
forming and patterning a second polymer layer on each of the bottom cladding elements, the second polymer layer being patterned to form a plurality of waveguide cores on the plurality of bottom cladding elements respectively; and
forming a third polymer top cladding layer over the plurality of waveguide cores of the patterned second polymer layer on each of the bottom cladding elements respectively, the bottom cladding elements, plurality of waveguide cores formed from the patterned second polymer layer, and the top cladding layer forming a plurality of polymer waveguides on the substrate.
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Abstract
Singulating polymer waveguides made on a substrate using photolithography. A first polymer cladding layer is formed and patterned on a first surface of a substrate to form a plurality of bottom cladding elements. Each of the bottom cladding elements are structurally independent from the other bottom cladding elements on the substrate. A second polymer layer is then formed and patterned on each of the bottom cladding elements to form a plurality of waveguide cores on each of the plurality of bottom cladding elements respectively. A third polymer top cladding layer is next formed over the plurality of waveguide cores on each of the bottom cladding elements respectively. In various embodiments, the individual waveguides can be separated from the substrate by using a selective tape or by cutting or sawing the substrate between the bottom cladding elements. The bottom cladding elements, the plurality of waveguide cores formed from the patterned second polymer layer, and the top cladding layer forming a plurality of polymer waveguides on the substrate.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method, comprising;
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forming a first polymer cladding layer on a first surface of a substrate; patterning the first polymer layer to form a plurality of bottom cladding elements on the first surface of the substrate, each of the bottom cladding elements structurally independent from the other bottom cladding elements patterned on the first surface of the substrate; forming and patterning a second polymer layer on each of the bottom cladding elements, the second polymer layer being patterned to form a plurality of waveguide cores on the plurality of bottom cladding elements respectively; and forming a third polymer top cladding layer over the plurality of waveguide cores of the patterned second polymer layer on each of the bottom cladding elements respectively, the bottom cladding elements, plurality of waveguide cores formed from the patterned second polymer layer, and the top cladding layer forming a plurality of polymer waveguides on the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 25)
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19. An apparatus, comprising:
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a substrate; a plurality of bottom cladding elements structurally independent from one another and formed on the substrate; a plurality of waveguide cores and lenses formed on each of the plurality of bottom cladding element; and a plurality of top cladding elements formed over the plurality of waveguide cores on each of the bottom cladding elements respectively. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification