OXIDIZED LIGHT GUIDING COMPONENT AND MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUE

摘要

A method of forming a guide for light in a high refractive index material involves forming a guiding structure into a surface of the material, treating the material with a reactive gas to cause the wall to become a cladding material (3808) having a relatively low refractive index, and after treating, filling the cavity with an optically transparent material having a refractive index sufficiently above that of the cladding. A light guiding device is also described. The light guiding device has a slab having a high refractive index, a guide located within the slab. The guide has a wall surface covered with a material, derived from the slab, having a first refractive index lower than the high refractive index, and a filler material having a second refractive index sufficiently higher than the first refractive index such that light entering the guide will be directed towards the second end.