Solution-processed chalcogenide glass for integrated single-mode mid-infrared waveguides

TY - JOUR

T1 - Solution-processed chalcogenide glass for integrated single-mode mid-infrared waveguides

AU - Tsay, Candice

AU - Zha, Yunlai

AU - Arnold, Craig B.

PY - 2010/12/6

Y1 - 2010/12/6

N2 - Chalcogenide glass materials exhibit a variety of optical properties that makethem desirable for near- and mid-infrared communications and sensing applications. However, processing limitations for these photorefractive materials have made the direct integration of waveguides with sources or detectors challenging. Here we demonstrate the viability of two complementary soft lithography methods for patterning and integrating chalcogenide glass waveguides from solution. One method, micro-molding in capillaries (MIMIC), is shown to fabricate multi-mode As2S3 waveguides which are directly integrated with quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). In a second method, we demonstrate the ability of micro-transfer molding (μTM), to produce arrays of single mode rib waveguides (2.5μm wide and 4.5μm high) over areas larger than 6 cm2 while maintaining edge roughness below 5.1 nm. These methods form a suite of processes that can be applied to chalcogenide solutions to create a diverse array of mid-IR optical and photonic structures ranging from <5 to 10'sof μm in dimension.

AB - Chalcogenide glass materials exhibit a variety of optical properties that makethem desirable for near- and mid-infrared communications and sensing applications. However, processing limitations for these photorefractive materials have made the direct integration of waveguides with sources or detectors challenging. Here we demonstrate the viability of two complementary soft lithography methods for patterning and integrating chalcogenide glass waveguides from solution. One method, micro-molding in capillaries (MIMIC), is shown to fabricate multi-mode As2S3 waveguides which are directly integrated with quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). In a second method, we demonstrate the ability of micro-transfer molding (μTM), to produce arrays of single mode rib waveguides (2.5μm wide and 4.5μm high) over areas larger than 6 cm2 while maintaining edge roughness below 5.1 nm. These methods form a suite of processes that can be applied to chalcogenide solutions to create a diverse array of mid-IR optical and photonic structures ranging from <5 to 10'sof μm in dimension.

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U2 - 10.1364/OE.18.026744

DO - 10.1364/OE.18.026744

M3 - Article

C2 - 21165024

SN - 1094-4087

VL - 18

SP - 26744

EP - 26753

JO - Optics Express

JF - Optics Express

IS - 25

ER -