Hybrid organic-inorganic planar optical waveguide device

• US 6,511,615 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2000
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corning Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Ronald E., Maschmeyer, Richard O., Shoup, Robert D., Dawes, Steven B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vargot, Mathieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/633,965
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 264/1.21, 264/1.24, 264/2.6, 264/236, 264/1.36, 653/85, 653/95, 65/172, 653/86, 65/173
• US Class Current: 264/1.21
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 19/12 by liquid-phase reaction processes
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/007 containing a dispersed phase, e.g. particles, fibres or flakes, in a continuous phase
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/009 Mixtures of organic and inorganic materials, e.g. ormosils and ormocers
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/34 with at least two coatings having different compositions C03C17/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/40 Coatings comprising at least one inhomogeneous layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1221 made from organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/13 Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/132 by deposition of thin films
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/138 by using polymerisation

Abstract

A planar optical device is formed on a substrate. The device comprises an array of waveguide cores which guide optical radiation. A cladding layer is formed contiguously with the array of waveguide cores to confine the optical radiation to the array of waveguide cores. At least one of the array of waveguide cores and cladding layer is an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon atoms being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties. This material can be designed with an index of refraction between 1.4 and 1.55 and can be deposited rapidly to thicknesses of up to 40 microns. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method for forming a planar optical device obviates the need for a lithographic process. Illustratively, a method for forming an array of cores comprises the steps of: (1) preparing a waveguide core composition precursor material comprising at least one silane and a source of hydrocarbon moiety, (2) partially hydrolyzing and polymerizing the waveguide core precursor material to form a waveguide core composition, (3) using a mold, forming an array of waveguide cores comprising the waveguide core composition, and (4) completing hydrolysis and polymerization of the waveguide core composition under conditions effective to form an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon atoms being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties. A cladding layer is then deposited over the array of waveguide cores. The use of the mold to pattern the array of waveguide cores obviates the need for a lithographic process.

Claims

1. A method for forming a planar optical device comprising the steps of:

preparing a waveguide core composition precursor material comprising at least one silane and a source of substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties,

partially hydrolyzing and polymerizing the waveguide core precursor material to form a waveguide core composition,

using a mold, forming an array of optical waveguide cores comprising said waveguide core composition, and

completing hydrolysis and polymerization of the waveguide core composition under conditions effective to form an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon atoms being directly bonded to said substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties, and further forming a cladding a material over said array of optical waveguides cores.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold permits the step of forming an array to include forming structures having a resolution of less than 1 micron.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mold permits the step of forming an array to include forming structures having a resolution less than 0.6 microns.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of choosing the mold to be an intaglio imaging plate.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming an array further comprises:

(a) loading a negative master with said waveguide core composition;

(b) compressing the negative master and waveguide core composition against a substrate and simultaneously curing the waveguide core composition; and

(c) releasing the negative master from the core composition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming an array further comprises:

(a) covering a plate with cladding material;

(b) using a positive master, forming depressions in the cladding material;

(c) loading said waveguide core composition into the depressions;

(d) compressing the waveguide core composition and cladding material against a substrate and simultaneously curing the core composition and cladding material; and

(e) releasing the plate from the core composition and cladding material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein curing further comprises thermally curing.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein curing further comprises curing with light and selecting at least one of the substrate and the plate to be transparent.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming an array further comprises:

(a) covering a plate with cladding material;

(b) loading said waveguide core composition into a negative master;

(c) adhering said waveguide core composition to the cladding material;

(d) compressing the waveguide core composition and cladding material against a substrate and simultaneously curing the core composition and cladding material; and

(e) releasing the plate from the core composition and cladding material.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising after the step of adhering;

overcoating the core composition and cladding material with an additional layer of cladding material.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of adhering further comprises contacting said waveguide core composition and cladding material while simultaneously curing said waveguide core composition and cladding material.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of curing comprises thermally curing.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of curing further comprises curing with light and selecting at least one of the substrate and the plate to be a transparent material.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming an array further comprises:

(a) coating a substrate with cladding material;

(b) partially curing the cladding material;

(c) pressing an embossing element into the partially cured cladding material;

(d) curing the embossed cladding material;

(e) filling the embossed cladding material with the waveguide core composition; and

(f) curing the waveguide core composition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein curing further comprises thermally curing.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein curing further comprises curing with light and selecting of the substrate and be transparent.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waveguide core composition precursor material comprises PDMS, MTES, and PTES.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the waveguide core composition precursor material comprises MTES, DPDMS, and PTES.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the waveguide core precursor material comprises MTES, PTES, PDMS, and PTFS.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

forming a cladding layer on said array of waveguide cores according to a method comprising the steps of;

(a) preparing a cladding composition precursor material comprising at least one silane and a source of hydrocarbon moiety,

(b) partially hydrolyzing and polymerizing the cladding composition precursor material to form a cladding composition,

(c) applying by liquid phase deposition a coating of said cladding composition to said patterned array of waveguide cores, and

(d) drying said cladding composition to form a cladding layer on said array of waveguide cores.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said cladding layer comprises an inorganic-organic hybrid material that comprises an extended matrix containing silicon and oxygen atoms with at least a fraction of the silicon atoms being directly bonded to substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon moieties.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said cladding composition precursor material comprises PDMS, MTES, PTES, or combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the cladding composition precursor material comprises MTES, DPDMS, PTES, or combinations thereof.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the cladding composition precursor material comprises MTES, PTES, PDMS, PTFS, or combinations thereof.