Characterization of planar waveguides fabricated by multiple sol-gel dip-coatings

Abstract

Planar step-index waveguides of SiO 2 :TiO 2 and ZrO 2 :CeO 2 in multilayer structures were prepared onto commercial glass substrates using a sol-gel technique combined with dip-coating. These coatings were previously optically characterized by Ellipsometry. These glassy coatings were structural characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis and Confocal Microscopy. Thicknesses of 1050 nm and 500 nm and refractive indices of 1.64 and 2.07 for SiO 2 :TiO 2 (70:30) and ZrO 2 :CeO 2 (70:30) waveguides were obtained, respectively, by the analysis of the guided TE and TM modes observed by Dark m-line Spectroscopy. Losses of 1.32 dB/cm and 0.86 dB/cm were respectively measured by a method based on scattered light.