Method for producing an optical waveguide array using a resist master
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing an optical waveguide array, comprising the steps of:
- forming an intermediate material of photoresist on a flat sheet, the intermediate material comprising at least one projection formed in the shape of a predetermined pattern;
forming a resist master by heating the intermediate material to a temperature whereby the surfaces of the at least one projection are smoothed under the influence of surface tension;
forming an inverted mold having an inverted surface shape of said resist master;
forming a stamper by using said inverted mold, said stamper having a same surface shape as said resist master;
forming a first clad portion having at least one groove equal in sectional shape to said inverted mold using said stamper and also using a first light-transmitting material of a predetermined refractive index;
forming a core portion by filling the groove of said first clad portion with a second light-transmitting material which has a refractive index higher than that of the first light-transmitting material; and
forming a second clad portion on the core-side surface of said first clad portion with the first light-transmitting material or a third light-transmitting material which has a refractive index lower than that of the second light-transmitting material.
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Abstract
The invention relates to an optical waveguide array producing method. The optical waveguide array producing method according to the invention uses an intermediate material forming process for forming an intermediate material of photoresist on a flat sheet, the intermediate material having projections formed in the shape of a predetermined pattern; a resist master forming process of forming a resist master by heating the intermediate material to thereby smooth the surfaces of the projections; an inverted mold forming process for forming an inverted mold having a surface shape that is the inverse of the resist master; a clad portion forming process, for forming a clad portion having grooves equal in sectional shape to the inverted mold, using the inverted mold and also using a first light-transmitting material of a low refractive index; a process for forming core portions by filling the grooves of the clad portion with a second light-transmitting material which is higher in refractive index than the first light-transmitting material; and a process of covering the core portions with a third light-transmitting material lower in refractive index than the first or the second light-transmitting material.
50 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing an optical waveguide array, comprising the steps of:
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forming an intermediate material of photoresist on a flat sheet, the intermediate material comprising at least one projection formed in the shape of a predetermined pattern; forming a resist master by heating the intermediate material to a temperature whereby the surfaces of the at least one projection are smoothed under the influence of surface tension; forming an inverted mold having an inverted surface shape of said resist master; forming a stamper by using said inverted mold, said stamper having a same surface shape as said resist master; forming a first clad portion having at least one groove equal in sectional shape to said inverted mold using said stamper and also using a first light-transmitting material of a predetermined refractive index; forming a core portion by filling the groove of said first clad portion with a second light-transmitting material which has a refractive index higher than that of the first light-transmitting material; and forming a second clad portion on the core-side surface of said first clad portion with the first light-transmitting material or a third light-transmitting material which has a refractive index lower than that of the second light-transmitting material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for manufacturing an optical waveguide array, comprising the steps of:
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forming an intermediate material of photoresist on a flat sheet, the intermediate material comprising at least one projection formed in the shape of a predetermined pattern; forming a resist master by heating the intermediate material to a temperature whereby the surfaces of the at least one projection are smoothed under the influence of surface tension; and forming an optical waveguide array by using said resist master. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification