Demand for a low-cost, high-throughput, and high-resolution patterning method for fabricating devices continues to increase. The roll-to-roll (R2R) imprint lithography technique has received a great deal of attention as a means of fabricating next-generation devices. In this paper, we propose a fabrication method for polymeric planar lightwave circuit (PLC) devices that uses R2R imprint lithography. The proposed technique uses an elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold. A Si wafer with micro patterns is used as the Si master. The PDMS mold is then replicated from the Si master. By applying a precise web tension and at a given web speed, we fabricated a micro-patterned PLC device. The insertion losses were 4.0 dB for a 1 × 2 optical splitter. As such, the proposed method of fabricating a PLC device by the R2R process was shown to be an effective solution.
Abstract. We propose an integrated structure that combines chip and fiber array blocks for optical interconnection with a polymeric planar lightwave circuit (PLC) device using the roll-to-roll imprint process. The fiber array blocks and PLC chip of the integrated structure are fabricated on the same substrate, and the alignments in the three spatial directions were established with the insertion of an optical fiber. The characteristics of the integrated structure were evaluated by fabricating a 1 × 2 optical splitter device. The structure had an insertion loss of 3.9 dB, and the optical uniformity of the channel was 0.1 dB, indicating that the same performance for an active alignment can be expected.
The roll to roll (RTR) imprint process is an integrated imprinting process where steps ranging from assignment of a function to a flexible rolled substrate to rewinding of the same substrate in a roll are performed. RTR imprint is a green, low-cost technology without limitations. In RTR imprint, it is important to manufacture the mold precisely and maintain uniform process condition. To this, process conditions have to include precision tension control, optimization of process parameters. We introduced RTR imprint to fabricate planar lightwave circuit (PLC) device for communication, by new schematic design and process optimization, we fabricated successfully optical device. The fabricated optical device showed the optical performance which was satisfied to meet international standard.
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