Print-molding for process for planar waveguides

A method of making an optical device for transmission and/or processing of light signals, comprising:

• providing a substrate having an upper surface which defines a reference plane for subsequent positioning of cladding material and core material;
• affixing spacers to the upper surface of the substrate, the spacers having upper surfaces which define a second plane spaced above the reference plane;
• depositing a layer of a formable, curable under-cladding material over the upper surface of the substrate, the upper surfaces of the spacers providing a guide for control of the height of the under-cladding material above the surface of the substrate;
• curing the under-cladding material under compression to form an under-cladding layer;
• applying a formable, curable core material onto the under-cladding layer;
• maintaining the core material in a predetermined pattern while curing the core material to form a light guide core for transmission and/or processing of light signals, the core has an index of refraction which is greater than the index of refraction of the under-cladding;applying a layer of a formable, curable over-cladding polymeric material over the light guide core and under-cladding layer;
• and
• curing the over-cladding material to form an over-cladding layer.

A method for making a multiple layer optical device for transmission and/or processing of light signals, comprising:

• providing a substrate which defines a reference plane for subsequent positioning of cladding material and core material;
• depositing a layer of a formable, curable under-cladding material over the upper surface of the substrate;
• depositing a first light guide core and a first over-cladding on the under-cladding to form a first optical layer;
• and
• depositing a second light guide core onto the first over-cladding and a second over-cladding onto the first over-cladding to form a second optical layer.

An optical device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a pattern of spacers affixed to an upper surface of the substrate;
• a polymeric under-cladding layer positioned over the substrate in space defined between the spacers;
• a polymeric light guide core positioned over the under-cladding layer;
• and
• a polymeric over-cladding layer positioned over the light guide core and at least a portion of the under-cladding.

A method of forming a light guide core for an optical device for transmission and/or manipulation of light, and depositing the light guide core on a polymeric under-cladding layer deposited on a substrate comprising:

• filling depressions in a release surface defining the predetermined pattern of the core, with a formable, curable core material;
• transferring the core material to an upper surface of the polymeric under-cladding layer;
• and
• curing the core material while the core material is under compression between the release surface and the substrate.

An optical component comprising:

• a substrate;
• a reference pattern of spacers formed on the substrate, the spacers having a height;
• a first cladding on the substrate between the spacers, the first cladding completely filling a volume defined by the substrate and adjacent spacers to the height of the spacers;
• an optical guide core over the first cladding;
• and
• a second cladding over the optical guide core to sandwich the optical guide core between the first and second claddings.

A multiple layer optical component comprising:

• a substrate;
• a reference pattern of spacers formed on the substrate;
• a first cladding on the substrate between the spacers;
• a first optical guide core on the first cladding;
• a second cladding over the first optical guide core to sandwich the optical guide core between the first cladding and the second cladding;
• a second optical guide core on the second cladding;
• and
• a third cladding over the second optical guide core to sandwich the second optical guide core between the second cladding and third cladding.