Method and apparatus for fabrication of large area 3d photonic crystals with embedded waveguides

A method of fabrication of a buried waveguide integrated with a 3D photonic crystal comprising:

• forming a latent image of a waveguide by exposing a surface of a first photoresist layer formed on a substrate using a first wavelength, wherein an absorption depth and an exposure dose of the first wavelength is used to set a thickness of the waveguide;
• coating the first photoresist layer that is exposed with a second photoresist layer of the same material as the first photoresist layer;
• forming a latent image of a photonic crystal throughout a bulk of the photoresist by exposing the photoresist at a second wavelength, wherein the photoresist is substantially transparent;
• and
• developing the waveguide and the photonic crystal after the exposures have been made.

A method of fabrication of a multiplicity of buried waveguides integrated with a 3D photonic crystal comprising:

• forming a first latent image of a waveguide by exposing a surface of a first photoresist layer formed on a substrate using a first wavelength, wherein an absorption depth and an exposure dose of the first wavelength is used to set a thickness of the waveguide;
• coating the first photoresist layer that is exposed with a second photoresist layer of the same material as the first photoresist layer;
• forming a second latent image of a second waveguide by exposing the surface of the second photoresist layer using the first wavelength, wherein an absorption depth and an exposure dose of the first wavelength is used to set a thickness of the waveguide;
• coating the second photoresist layer that is exposed with a third photoresist layer of the same material as the first photoresist layer;
• repeating the exposing and coating to produce a multiplicity of waveguides;
• forming a latent image of a photonic crystal throughout a bulk of the photoresist by exposing the photoresist at a second wavelength, wherein the photoresist is substantially transparent;
• and
• developing the waveguide and the photonic crystal after the exposures have been made.