High Performance Low Cost Fabrication Method for Integrated Polymer Optical Devices

For all optical path networks there is a need for optical crossconnect systems and switching matrices. Using polymer materials and technologies, not only low cost components but low power consumption devices can be fabricated. We optimized ORMOCERs, a new class of polymer materials, which combine the specific advantages of organic polymers and inorganic glasses, with respect to the need of photonic applications. They exhibit a high thermal stability of up to 250°C and a low optical attenuation of 0.2 dB/cm @ 1.3 mm and 0.4 dB/cm @ 1.55 mm (bulk samples). Using ORMOCERs as material for optical applications, we developed a low cost fabrication process for integrated optical devices based on Direct UV-Patterning with excellent results. Because of the precisely controllable parameters, we were able to fabricate hi gh performance digital optical switching matrices with a complexity of up to 1x8 and low power consumption. The fiber-to-fiber insertion losses of 1x2 switches were measured to b e 0.7 dB @ 1.3 mm and 1.5 dB @ 1.55 mm respectively, the isolation was better than 40 dB at both wavelengths.