Polarization Converting Waveguide Devices Incorporating UV-curable Reactive Mesogen

Abstract

Reactive mesogen (RM) is an organic liquid crystal molecule that can be self-aligned to have an optic axis of birefringence when coated over a polyimide alignment film. A free-standing optical wave-plate film consisting of RM and low-loss optical polymers was fabricated in this work, and the film was inserted across the polymer waveguide to form an integrated optical polarization converter. For convenient evaluation of the polarization converters, a waveguide polarizer and analyzer were fabricated in series. The polarization conversion efficiency was measured to be 25 dB for the wavelength range from 1520 to 1580 nm. The wave plate exhibited a temperature-dependent retardation of 4.5° for a temperature change from 25 to 100℃.

Integrated Optical Wave Plates Fabricated by Incorporating Reactive Mesogen in Polymer Waveguide

“…폴리이미드 필름에 복굴절성을 인가하여 반파장판 을 제작하기 위해서는 편광변환 상태를 실시간으로 모니터링 하면서 필름에 스트레인을 인가하는 방법을 사용한다. 한편, 액정디스플레이 소자에서 파장판을 만들기 위하여 널리 이용 되는 반응성 메조겐(Reactive Mesogen: RM, RMM141C) 재료 를 이용하면 광축이 처음부터 형성된 편광판을 손쉽게 제작 할 수 있다 [4] . 그러나 광도파로를 완성한 후 도파로의 중앙부 위에 깊은 홈을 파고 파장판을 삽입하는 방법은 제작과정이 복잡하고 생산성이 떨어지는 단점을 가진다.…”

Polymeric integrated optic current sensors based on polarization rotated reflection interferometry

“…In addition, polymer-based devices have the advantage of simple fabrication processes, making them suitable for implementing polarization-adjusting photonic ICs such as TE-pass polarizers and polarization converters using surface plasmon resonance [8], polarization beam splitter [9], and polarization controllers [10]. In addition, by designing various polymeric optical components, it is possible to integrate optical current sensors [11].…”