Circular-core single-mode polymer waveguide for high-density and high-speed optical interconnects application at 1550...

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Advancements in optical interconnects are crucial for high-speed data transmission.
• Developing cost-effective and high-performance polymer waveguides is essential for integrated photonics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate single-mode polymer waveguides with a graded-index profile for optical interconnects.
• To evaluate the optical and high-speed performance of these waveguides at 1550 nm.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of circular-core waveguides using UV-curable epoxies and the mosquito method.
• Tuning refractive index by mixing core and cladding epoxies for single-mode operation.
• Comprehensive characterization of optical transmission, coupling loss, crosstalk, and misalignment tolerance.

Main Results:

• Achieved low transmission loss (0.79 dB/cm) and coupling loss (0.78 dB).
• Demonstrated low inter-channel crosstalk (< -45 dB) and high misalignment tolerance (> ± 4 μm).
• Successfully transmitted Non-Return-to-Zero (NRZ) signals at 25 Gb/s over 10 cm with error-free performance.

Conclusions:

• The fabricated single-mode polymer waveguides exhibit excellent optical and high-speed characteristics.
• These waveguides show significant potential for high-density and high-speed optical interconnect applications.
• The developed fabrication method offers a viable route for producing advanced polymer optical components.