Microporous glass waveguides doped with selected materials
AssigneeInstitut National D'Optique
InventorsSerge Caron, Yves Taillon
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Abstract
The present invention concerns waveguides made from porous glass which have been doped with certain selected materials which exhibit optical properties. In the context of the invention, the selected materials are optical materials which exhibit optical activity or a Faraday effect, such as an electro-optic material, and more specifically a polymer. Devices made according to the present invention can be used as phase modulators.
Claims24
An optical waveguide made of porous glass, wherein at least a portion of the pores of the porous glass are filled with a material which affects the propagation of light within the waveguide.
An optical waveguide apparatus comprising:
- an optical waveguide made of porous glass, where the pores of the porous glass are filled with an electro-optical material;
- and
- at least one pair of electrodes on opposed sides of the optical waveguide in order to induce a change in the index of refraction of the optical waveguide upon application of an electric field between the electrodes.
A method for making an optical waveguide made of porous glass where the pores are filled with a material which affects the propagation of light within the waveguide, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an optical waveguide made of borosilicate;
- (b) chemically attacking said waveguide in order to leave a skeleton of silica and a myriad of interconnected pores;
- and
- (c) impregnating said pores with said material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.