Property-tailorable PFCB-containing polymers for wavelength division devices

• Published in: Journal of lightwave technology Vol. 24; no. 8; pp. 3227 - 3234
• Main Authors: Jia Jiang, Callender, C.L., Blanchetiere, C., Noad, J.P., Shengrong Chen, Ballato, J., Smith, D.W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.08.2006; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Arrayed waveguide gratings; Arrayed-waveguide gratings (AWGs); Attenuation; Circuit properties; Devices; Diffraction gratings; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Information, signal and communications theory; Integrated optics. Optical fibers and wave guides; Multiplexing; Optical and optoelectronic circuits; Optical arrays; Optical attenuators; Optical device fabrication; Optical devices; Optical fiber communications; Optical fiber networks; optical loss; Optical polymers; Optical telecommunications; perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB); Photonics; polymer; Polymers; refractive index; Signal and communications theory; Systems, networks and services of telecommunications; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Thermal stability; Transmission and modulation (techniques and equipments); waveguide; Wavelength division; Wavelength division multiplexing; WDM networks; Integrated optics; Arrayed-waveguide gratings (AWGs); polymer; High performance; Optical telecommunication; Refraction index; Wavelength division multiplexing; Waveguide; Optimization; Thermal stability; Optical polymers; Optical losses; Optical fiber network; Waveguide array; optical loss; Manufacturing process; Telecommunication network; Properties of materials; Optical fiber communication; refractive index; Optical attenuation; pertluorocyclobutyl (PFCB); Arrayed waveguide gratings
• ISSN: 0733-8724; 1558-2213
• DOI: 10.1109/JLT.2006.876901

This paper demonstrates the application of property-tailorable perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) polymers to the fabrication of arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG) devices for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks. This novel series of PFCB polymers exhibits low optical attenuation, high thermal stability, and tailorable refractive index, facilitating the design of high-performance photonic devices. The design, fabrication, and characterization of AWGs are reported in this paper. The fabricated devices show high thermal stability and low on-chip losses. Optimization of devices through the tailoring of material properties and fabrication process parameters is discussed. The successful fabrication of AWG highlights the potential of this material for other devices in photonic applications