Planer waveguide and method of formation
OwnerMichael Bazylenkoinventor
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of forming a planar optical waveguide comprising the steps of forming a silica-based waveguide at a first temperature which is below a melting temperature of material from which the waveguide is formed; and annealing a region of the waveguide at a second temperature which is greater than the formation temperature and less than a melting temperature of material from which the waveguide is formed, so as to alter an effective refractive index of the region. In one embodiment the step of annealing is preceded by the step of forming a thin film heater over the region of the waveguide, the heater being capable of heating the region to the second temperature. The first temperature is preferably low (below 400° C.) to maximize the range of annealing temperatures.
Claims31
A method of forming a planar optical waveguide comprising the steps of:
- forming a silica-based waveguide at a first temperature which is below a melting temperature of material from which the waveguide is formed;
- and
- annealing a region of the waveguide at a second temperature which is greater than the formation temperature and less than a melting temperature of material from which the waveguide is formed, so as to alter an effective refractive index of the region.
A method of forming a planar optical waveguide including the steps of:
- selecting a first temperature for forming a silica based waveguide which is below a melting temperature of material from which the waveguide is to be formed;
- and
- forming said silica based waveguide at said first temperature from said material such that said waveguide is trimmable by a post formation annealing process on a region of said waveguide at a temperature between said first temperature and said melting temperature so as to alter the effective refractive index of the region.
An optical waveguide structure comprising a silica-based planar optical waveguide formed at a first temperature below a melting point of the material of the waveguide and at least one heating element disposed on said planar optical waveguide capable of heating a region of said waveguide beneath said element to a temperature which is greater then said temperature and less than said melting point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.