Sol-gel waveguide fabrication parameters: an experimental investigation

Abstract

Waveguides have been fabricated by a hybrid organic- inorganic glass sol-gel process and ultraviolet-light exposure. The ad- justment of chemical composition of the materials provides precise se- lection of the refractive index from 1.48 to 1.52 at the wavelength of 632.8 nm. The effect of ultraviolet-light exposure and heat treatment on the refractive index is studied. Ultraviolet-light inscription has been em- ployed to produce ridge waveguides with smooth sidewalls. © 1998 Soci- ety of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(98)01604-3)