Photosensitive composition, and optical waveguide element and process for producing the same

A photosensitive composition for forming a light transmitting material, comprising:

• (A) a metal compound represented by the following formula (2) or a hydrolysis/dehydration condensation reaction product thereof:
• M1X24 (2)
• wherein M1 is Si, Al, Zr, Ge or Ti, and X2 is a hydrolyzable group or atom;
• (B) acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or acid ester thereof represented by the following formula (3):
• wherein R2 is a hydrogen atom, alkyl group or ketoalkyl group, and Y is a hydrogen atom or methyl group, with the proviso that at least 40% of the total number of hydrogen atoms in the formula (3) are substituted by at least one substituent atom selected from the group consisting of deuterium, fluorine, chlorine and bromine;
• (C) a photoinitiator;
• and
• (D) water.

A photosensitive composition for forming a light transmitting material, comprising:

• (A′) a silane compound represented by the following formula (4) or a hydrolysis/dehydration condensation reaction product thereof:
• R3SiX33 (4)
• wherein R3 is an organic group having a polymerizable carbon-carbon double bond, and X3 is a hydrolyzable group or atom, with the proviso that some or all of the hydrogen atoms of the organic group R3 may be substituted by at least one substituent atom selected from the group consisting of deuterium, fluorine, chlorine and bromine;
• (B′) a metal compound represented by the following formula (5) or a hydrolysis/dehydration condensation reaction product thereof:
• M2X44 (5)
• wherein M2 is Si, Al, Zr, Ge or Ti, and X4 is a hydrolyzable group or atom;
• (C′) acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or acid ester thereof represented by the following formula (6):
• wherein R4 is a hydrogen atom, alkyl group or ketoalkyl group, and Z is a hydrogen atom or methyl group, with the proviso that some or all of the hydrogen atoms in the formula (6) may be substituted by at least one substituent atom selected from the group consisting of deuterium, fluorine, chlorine and bromine;
• (D′) a photoinitiator;
• and
• (E′) water, wherein
• the component (A′) and the component (C′) are used such that the above substituent atom(s) account(s) for at least 40% of the total of the hydrogen atoms of the organic group R3 in the formula (4) and the hydrogen atoms in the formula (6).