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US 6,473,551 B2Granted
Thin film optical waveguides
AssigneePhoton-X, Inc.
InventorsRobert A. Norwood, Chia-Chi Teng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical waveguide comprising a first polymeric layer and a second polymeric layer adjacent to the first polymeric layer and a method for making the optical waveguide are disclosed. The first polymeric layer has a refractive index of n1 and solubility S1 in a first solvent. The second polymeric layer has a refractive index of n2 and solubility S2 in the first solvent. In the optical waveguide, n1 ≠n2 and S1/S2 is at least 5.
Claims33
An optical element comprising:
- a first polymeric layer, wherein the first polymeric layer has a refractive index of n1 and solubility S1 in a first solvent;
- and
- a second polymeric layer adjacent to the first polymeric layer, wherein the second polymeric layer has a refractive index of n2 and solubility S2 in the first solvent;
- and wherein n1≠n2 and S1/S2 is at least 5.
1 more element
An optical waveguide comprising:
- a first polymeric layer, wherein the first polymeric layer has a refractive index of n1, solubility S1 in a first solvent, and solubility S1′ in a second solvent;
- a second polymeric layer adjacent to the first polymeric layer, wherein the second polymeric layer has a refractive index of n2, solubility S2 in the first solvent, solubility S2′ in the second solvent and wherein n1≠n2 and S1/S2 is at least 5;
- and
- a third polymeric layer adjacent to the second polymeric layer, wherein the third polymeric layer has a refractive index n3, solubility S3′ in the second solvent and wherein n2≠n3 and S2′/S3′ is at least 5.
1 more element
An optical waveguide comprising:
- a first polymeric buffer layer, wherein the first polymeric buffer layer has a refractive index of n1, a solubility S1 in a first solvent, and a solubility S1′ in a second solvent;
- a first polymeric sublayer adjacent to the first polymeric buffer layer, wherein the first polymeric sublayer has a refractive index of n2, solubility S2 in the first solvent, solubility S2′ in the second solvent and wherein S1/S2 is at least 5;
- a polymeric core layer adjacent to the first polymeric sublayer, wherein the polymeric core layer has a refractive index n3 and a solubility S3′ in the second solvent and wherein n3>n2, n3>n1, and S2′/S3′ is at least 5;
- a second sublayer adjacent the core layer;
- and
- a second buffer layer adjacent the second sublayer.
3 more elements
An optical waveguide formed by:
- providing a first polymeric layer, wherein the first polymeric layer has a refractive index of n1;
- and
- forming a second polymeric layer having refractive index of n2 adjacent to the first polymeric layer by providing a solution over the first polymeric layer, wherein the solution comprises a first solvent that dissolves about one percent or less of the first polymeric layer and wherein n1≠n2.
A method for making an optical waveguide comprising:
- depositing a first polymeric layer, wherein the first polymeric layer has a refractive index of n1 and a solubility S1 in a first solvent;
- and
- depositing a second polymeric layer adjacent to the first polymeric layer, wherein the second polymeric layer has a refractive index of n2 and a solubility S2 in the first solvent, and wherein n1≠n2 and S1/S2 is at least 5.
A method for making an optical waveguide comprising:
- providing a first polymeric layer, wherein the first polymeric layer has a refractive index of n1;
- and
- forming a second polymeric layer having refractive index of n2 adjacent to the first polymeric layer by providing a solution over the first polymeric layer, wherein the solution comprises a first solvent that dissolves less than one percent of the first polymeric layer and n1≠n2.
An optical element comprising:
- a core layer on a substrate, wherein the core layer has a refractive index of n1 and solubility S1 in a first solvent;
- and
- a cladding layer adjacent to the core layer, wherein the cladding layer has a refractive index of n2 and solubility S2 in the first solvent;
- and wherein n1≠n2 and S1/S2 is at least 5.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.