Fabrication and characterization of planar and channel waveguides in hybrid sol-gel systems

Abstract

We report on linear optical properties of Disperse Red 1 (DR1) doped sot-gel planar and channel waveguides. The refractive index and optical propagation tosses of the guiding layer were measured between 0.756 jim and 1 .64 .tm. In the telecommunications window, the attenuation is dominated by the overtones of the 0-H bonds vibration bands. We also report on photobleached channel waveguides. Propagation losses were measured at 1 .064 pm as a function of the waveguide width. Attenuation coefficients as low as 1 cm' in 4 to 8 tm wide channel waveguides were demonstrated. A good confinement of the light is observed in a 3 hours bleached sample. The suitability of plasma etching as an alternative technique for fabricating channel waveguides is demonstrated.

Optical Properties of Functional Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Nanocomposites

“…Hybrid thin films incorporating both push±pull chromophores (DR1 molecules) and carbazole units covalently attached to the rigid backbone of the silica-based matrix were prepared by a sol±gel process. [208] A good confinement of the light was observed after 3 h exposure through a mask using a 20 mW cm ±2 broadband UV lamp centered on around 420 nm. A picture of a 1064 nm beam coupled out of such a waveguide, 2 lm 5 lm, is shown in Figure 25.…”