| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To produce easily an optical waveguide having a desired pattern with one mask by constituting the mask with a liquid crystal layer which has a pair of electrodes on upper and lower faces and making the applied voltage between electrodes variable in individual parts on the surface of the liquid crystal layer. CONSTITUTION:The mask consists of a liquid crystal layer 2 interposed between upper and lower thin transparent substrates 1a and 1b, a lower transparent electrode 3 arranged under this layer 2, and an upper transparent electrode 4 which is arranged on this layer 2 and consists of many unit electrodes 5. A vertically movable horizontal table 8 is provided in the center of a tank 7, and the position of a mask 10 is fixed, and this table 8 is so kept that the liquid surface of a resin layer 9 is always on the lower face of the mask 10. In this set state, exposure is first started in the state where a voltage is not applied to the liquid crystal at all, and next, a voltage is applied to one unit electrode 5, and the voltage is applied to unit electrodes 5 on both sides successively to extend gradually the width of exposure, and the horizontal table 8 is pulled down gradually simultaneously with this extension of the width, and then, a hardened material 11 is formed on the horizontal table 8. Thereafter, the hardened material 11 is removed from the horizontal table 8, and materials which are not exposed to light are removed, and a clad layer is coated, thus forming the optical waveguide. |
