Core position alignment in polymer optical waveguides fabricated using the Mosquito method

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Multimode polymer optical waveguides are crucial for optical communication.
• The Mosquito method offers a simple process for fabricating 3D wiring patterns.
• Precise alignment of optical waveguide cores is challenging due to fabrication variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate dominant parameters influencing core height in polymer optical waveguides fabricated using the Mosquito method.
• To develop a theoretical and experimental understanding of core height deviations.
• To achieve controlled fabrication of optical waveguides with minimal core height variation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of multimode polymer optical waveguides with circular graded-index (GI) cores using the Mosquito method.
• Theoretical fluid analysis to understand the relationship between fabrication parameters and core height.
• Experimental validation of the theoretical model and fabrication process.

Main Results:

• Identified dominant parameters affecting core height during fabrication.
• Confirmed a linear relationship between core height and needle-tip height through theoretical fluid analysis.
• Successfully fabricated waveguides with maximum core height variation controlled to under 10 µm.

Conclusions:

• The Mosquito method can be optimized for precise optical waveguide fabrication.
• Understanding and controlling fabrication parameters, like needle-tip height, is critical for minimizing core height variation.
• Achieved high precision in polymer optical waveguide fabrication, paving the way for enhanced optical device performance.