Ion-beam deposited multilayer waveguides and resonators

An optical waveguide for the transmission of optical signals, comprising:

• a substrate having a surface;
• a lower isolation means attached to the substrate surface for containing optical signals, the lower isolation means made up of a material having a low optical index of refraction;
• a waveguide means attached to the lower isolation means comprised of a stack of a first material having a first index of refraction and a second material having a second index of refraction, the first index of refraction being lower than the second index of refraction and the first index of refraction being no lower than the index of refraction of the lower isolation means, the first and second materials being configured such that the waveguide means has an oscillating concentration of the first material and the second material when traversing the waveguide means in a direction normal to the substrate surface;
• and
• an upper isolation means covering the waveguide means for containing optical signals, the upper isolation means made up of material having an optical index of refraction not higher than the first index of refraction.

A process for the fabrication of an optical waveguide, comprising the steps of:

• a. depositing an isolation layer upon a substrate wherein the substrate is constructed of a material having a low index of thermal expansion, the isolation layer comprised of a material having a first index of refraction;
• b. depositing a first layer of material upon the isolation layer, the first layer of material being deposited by ion beam deposition, wherein the material of the first layer has a second optical index of refraction, the second index of refraction being greater than or equal to the first index of refraction;
• c. depositing a second layer of material upon the first layer of material wherein the material of the second layer has a third optical index of refraction, the third index of refraction being greater than the second index of refraction, and the material of the second layer is deposited upon the first layer by ion beam deposition;
• and
• d. depositing a topcoat upon the second layer of material wherein the topcoat is deposited upon the second layer by ion beam deposition, the topcoat comprised of a material having the first index of refraction.