Method of forming an improved tapered waveguide by selectively irradiating a viscous adhesive resin prepolymer with ultra-violet light

Abstract

A tapered waveguide for transmitting optical signals from a signal source to an optical fiber is fabricated by irradiating a layer of prepolymer resin on a substrate with a converging beam of ultraviolet light, whereby the irradiated resin polymerizes into a clear, hard polymer and the resin that has not been irradiated remains in its resinous state. The unpolymerized resin is removed with an organic solvent. The variation in width of the waveguide is achieved by varying the distance between the source of the converging beam of ultraviolet light, thereby varying the diameter of the spot that is being irradiated, while simultaneously moving the source of ultraviolet light parallel to the axis of the waveguide. Variation in thickness of the waveguide is achieved by sloping the substrate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.