PLANAR WAVEGUIDE WITH PATTERNED CLADDING AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

摘要

An integrated optical waveguide with a patterned cladding (60) defining an opening such that at least one side or at least one end (32) of a light transmissive element (13) is air clad. The air-clad region is preferably a lens structure unitary with the waveguide (30) or is at a bend in the waveguide. A method of fabricating an optical waveguide with a patterned cladding which comprises forming a patterned blocking layer (110) opaque to a predetermined wavelength on a portion of a substrate transparent to that wavelength; patterning the core layer from above to provide a light transmissive element; depositing an upper cladding layer, which comprises a material curable by exposure to light of that wavelength (116), on the light transmissive element, and/or on the patterned blocking layer and/or on an uncovered portion of the substrate; irradiating said upper cladding layer from below with light of that wavelength (116), to cure those portions of said upper cladding layer not positioned above said patterned blocking layer; and removing non-cured portions of said upper cladding layer.