A refractive index of dielectrics was modified by several methods and was known to have direct influence on optical forces in nanophotonic structures. The present contribution shows that isomerization of photoswitching molecules can be used to regulate refractive index of dielectrics in-situ. In particular, spectroscopic study of a polydimethylsiloxane–arylazopyrazole (PDMS–AAP) composite revealed that refractive index of the composite shifts from 2.0 to 1.65 in trans and cis states, respectively, of the embedded AAP. Based on this, a proposition is made for a waveguide structure, in which external UV/Vis source reversibly regulates the conformation of the PDMS–AAP core. Computational study is performed using Maxwell’s equations on buried waveguide structure. The simulation, implemented in PYTHON, sequentially utilizes empirical refractive indices of the composite in the isomeric states in lieu of regulation by a source. The simulation revealed highly confined wave propagations for injected signals of 340 and 450 nm wavelengths. It is observed that the cis state suppresses higher order mode when propagating UV wavelength but allows it for visible light. This modal tuning demonstrated that single mode can be selectively excited with appropriate waveguide dimensions. Further impact of the tuning is seen in the optical force between waveguide pair where the forces shift between attractive and repulsive in relation to the isomeric state of the PDMS–AAP core. These effects which stem from the adjustment of refractive index by photoisomerization suggests that in-situ regulation of index is achievable by successful integration of photoswitching molecules in host materials, and the current PDMS–AAP composites investigated in this study can potentially enhance nanophotonic and opto-mechanical platforms.

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As the data rate of integrated circuits dramatically increases, interconnection speed at the backplane and board levels are beginning to limit system performance, which drives investigations into alternative interconnection technologies. Critical factors to consider when evaluating alternative interconnection approaches include interconnect speed, power consumption, area, and compatibility with current backplane and board integration technologies. Optical interconnections can achieve very high speed with a significant reduction in interconnect footprint compared to transmission lines, robust signal quality in high-density interconnection systems because of immunity to electromagnetic interference, and potentially simple to design (compared to transmission lines) lines with materials which can be postprocessed onto printed wiring boards or integrated into the board structure. This paper explores design options for planar optical interconnections integrated onto boards, discusses fabrication options for both beam turning and embedded interconnections to optoelectronic devices, describes integration processes for creating embedded planar optical interconnections, and discusses measurement results for a number of integration schemes that have been demonstrated by the authors. In the area of optical interconnections with beams coupled to and from the board, the topics covered include integrated metal-coated polymer mirrors and volume holographic gratings for optical beam turning perpendicular to the board. Optical interconnections that utilize active thin film (approximately 1-5 m thick) optoelectronic components embedded in the board are also discussed, using both Si and high temperature FR-4 substrates. Both direct and evanescent coupling of optical signals into and out of the waveguide are discussed using embedded optical lasers and photodetectors. I. INTRODUCTIONA S the data rate of integrated circuits dramatically increases, interconnection speed at the backplane and board levels are beginning to limit system performance, which drives investigations into alternative interconnection technologies. Critical factors to consider when evaluating alternative in-Manuscript