Manipulation of optical field distribution in layered composite polymeric – inorganic waveguides

Hiltunen, J., Pearce, S., Wang, M., Puustinen, J., Uusitalo, S., Lappalainen, J., Karioja, P. and Charlton, M.D.B. (2011) Manipulation of optical field distribution in layered composite polymeric – inorganic waveguides. Applied Physics Letters, 98 (11), 111113-[3pp]. (doi:10.1063/1.3567756).

Abstract

We discuss the manipulation of optical field distribution in a low-refractive index polymeric waveguide by depositing a thin high refractive index Ta₂O₅ film on top of the waveguide. According to microstructure studies, the sputtered Ta₂O₅ thin films deposited on the polymer layer were very smooth with root mean square surface roughness value of 0.58 nm, had amorphous phase, and were optimal for integrated optical devices. Both computational and experimental optical studies suggest that the inorganic-polymeric composite waveguide design greatly increases the intensity distribution of the propagating mode at the surface. Consequently, the interaction of the optical field with the ambient surrounding medium is enhanced by a factor of about 1.7 in order of magnitude.

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