Photobleachable Host-Guest Thin for Integrated Optical Devices

薄膜无源波导是集成光电路的关键元件。如果要广泛利用光纤通信的好处，薄膜波导必须快速、可靠和廉价地制造出来。现在还不能这样做。在第一阶段，我们使用我们专有的、环保的射流气相沉积（JVD）工艺制作了一种不寻常的起始材料：掺杂有机染料客体的陶瓷主体膜；然后对其进行光图案化处理，从而产生可工作的薄膜波导。光电图案化后的JVD具有高通量、低成本生产的潜力。JVD陶瓷-有机主客体薄膜具有优异的光学、化学和机械性能，可在室温下快速、无限制地制备。因此，JVD +光电图像化策略可以i)提供一种用于集成光学和兼容电子集成电路的新型材料，ii)为集成光学电路的大批量生产开辟道路。在第二阶段，我们将研究JVD掺杂染料陶瓷薄膜的光学特性，利用它们制造器件，例如定向耦合器和滤波器，演示JVD将光纤连接到薄膜波导，并实现激光光图像化。我们的第二阶段研究将提供光子材料的基础进展和集成光学制造的新方法。**

Thin film passive waveguide are key elements of integrated optical circuits. If the benefits of optical fiber communication are to widely available, thin film waveguides must be manufactured rapidly, reliably and cheaply. This cannot be done now. In Phase I we used our proprietary, environmentally sound Jet Vapor Deposition (JVD) process to make an unusual starting material: a ceramic host film doped with an organic dye guest; this was then photo- patterned, producing a working thin film waveguide. JVD followed by photo-patterning has the potential for high throughput, inexpensive production. JVD ceramic-organic host-guest films, produced at high rate, in unlimited variety, and at room temperature, have excellent optical, chemical and mechanical properties for integrated optics. Accordingly, the JVD + photo-patterning strategy can i) provide a new class of materials useful for integrated optics and compatible with electronic ICs and ii) open the way to high volume manufacture of integrated optic circuits. In Phase II we will investigate the optical properties of JVD dye- doped ceramic films, fabricate devices from them, e.g., directional couplers and filters, demonstrate JVD linking of an optical fiber to a thin film waveguide, and implement laser photo-patterning . Our Phase II research will provide both fundamental advances in photonic materials and new approaches to integrated optics manufacturing. **