Process characterization for direct dispense fabrication of polymer optical multi-mode waveguides

Abstract

The use of optical waveguide technology in printed circuit boards offers improvement in high speed data transfer. Transitioning current material deposition techniques for waveguide fabrication from small scale laboratory environments to large scale manufacturing presents significant physical and financial challenges. To address these issues, a syringe based direct dispense tool was characterized for repeatable direct write dispensing of blanket layers of waveguide material over a range of thicknesses (25–220 µm), reducing waste material and affording the ability to utilize large substrates. This tool was also used to directly dispense discrete multimode waveguide cores requiring no UV definition or chemical development. The ability to directly dispense waveguides reduces production costs by eliminating material waste and the need for costly photo-masks. The direct dispense waveguide cores had near circular cross sections ∼50 µm in diameter, with total optical losses in the range of 0.06–0.09 dB cm–1 at 850 nm compared to <0.05 dB cm–1 losses of lithographically fabricated square waveguides. The most critical process variables for dispensing functioning polymer waveguides are identified and discussed.

3-Dimensional Blow Torch-Molding of Fused Silica Microstructures

“…The mold is made from a 3-mm-thick graphite disk with small particle size (type: EC-17, vendor: Graphitestore.com, Inc., Buffalo Grove, IL, USA) using a precision micromilling process [30], [31]. The mold is milled on a highperformance air-bearing XY stage (ABL15030 for the X-stage and ABL15023WB for the Y-stage, both from Aerotech Inc, Pittsburgh, PA, USA) with an accuracy of ±2.0 μm and a resolution of 0.5 nm [32], which ensures the molds are made with very good radial symmetry. A cylindrical cavity with a center post is defined on the topside of the disk.…”

“…(b) Polytec PSV 400 scanning laser vibrometer setup. (c) Schematic of Advanced Systems & Technologies conformal imaging vibrometer setup, showing two of eight fibers employed in a conformal array[32],[33].…”

“…Normalized displacement patterns of n = 2 wineglass modes (14.7311 kHz and 14.8756 kHz) measured with Advanced Systems & Technologies conformal imaging vibrometer[32],[33]. The black and blue solid curves represent the displacement pattern of the two modes, with red dots indicating the eight conformal array measurement points.…”

Direct Writing of Aluminum Doped Zinc Oxide for Optoelectronic and Energy Device Applications

“…They also reported on the capability of the process for developing 45S5 Bioglass scaffolds with customized external geometry, and optimized pore architecture. Dingledein et al [31] performed a process characterization of optical multi-mode waveguides fabricated with polymer using the direct dispensing method. They reported total optical losses in the range of 0.0-0.09 dB/cm at 850 nm for the fabricated waveguides compared to <0.05 dB/cm for lithographically fabricated waveguides.…”

Engineered Inks for Environment-Friendly Additive Manufacturing of Hierarchical Microstructures

“…Additionally, the use of polymeric additives as rheology enhancers can be used to reduce nozzle clogging issues common to nozzle-based printing methods due to ink solids sedimentation [128]. The dimensions of the final CDW features are also dependent on the nozzle shape [143] and diameter, applied extrusion pressure, and printing speed [121,131,132,139,144].…”