Low-loss polymer waveguide with high thermal stability

We have synthesized novel polycyanurate polymer materials for optical waveguide applications. Single-mode channel waveguides based on these substances were fabricated and characterized. This polymer exhibits a glass transition temperature of about 300 deg C ensuring high thermal stability of respective optical devices in the operation temperature range of interest, e. g. up to 85 deg C. The propagation loss of the polycyanurate based slab waveguide was measured to be 0.65 dB/cm at 1.31 mu m and 0.85 dB/cm at 1.55 mu m. The measured insertion loss of channel waveguides amounts to 0.65 dB/cm at 1.3 mu m and 0.95 dB/cm at 1.55 mu m wavelength. Further improvements of the optical losses can be expected by improving material synthesis and waveguide fabrication technology.