New Materials for Optical Wave Guides

光信号通过光波导结构的互连系统通过光学处理器。氟化聚合物由于其优异的性能，是用于制造这些结构的合理材料。氟聚合物可以与其他折射率更高的陶瓷塑料配对，并使用一种名为LIGA微成型的创新微加工技术“潜在地”制造成波导结构。该计划(第一阶段和第二阶段)的最终目标是通过X射线或深紫外光刻直接制造波导结构。微机械加工所需的“厚膜”涂层需要具有出色的灵敏度、对比度、分辨率和附着力的新型抗蚀剂材料。这些抗蚀剂将在第一阶段计划中设计。在第一阶段的工作中，我们将合成两种有希望的候选聚甲基丙烯酸三氟乙酯和聚甲基丙烯酸六氟异丙酯，并评估其在X射线和深紫外光照射下的抗蚀性能。每种含氟单体都将与甲基丙烯酸3-羟亚氨基-2-丁酮共聚，以提高对深紫外光的敏感度。将评估这两种共聚物的深紫外光性能，并用对叔丁基苯甲酸进行敏化。这四种聚合物将进行化学表征，并进行应用性能、对深U和X射线(仅限均聚聚合物)的敏感性、对比度、分辨率和折射率与波长的关系的测试。显影剂和漂洗周期将针对每种聚合物进行优化。第一阶段的抗蚀剂材料和显影剂将在第二阶段进一步优化，并用于微机械加工波导。

Light signals pass through optical processors via an interconnecting system of wave guide structures. Fluorinated polymers, because of their outstanding properties, are logical materials for use in fabricating these structures. Fluoropolymers can be paired with other plastics of ceramics of higher refractive index and "potentially" fabricated into wave guide structures using an innovative micromachining technique known as LIGA Microforming. The ultimate goal of this program (Phase I and II) is the direct fabrication of wave guide structures by X-ray or deep UV lithography. New resist materials with outstanding sensitivity, contrast, resolution, and adhesion are required for the "Thick film" coatings necessary for micromachining. These resists will be designed in the Phase I program. For the Phase I effort, we will synthesize two promising candidates poly (trifluoroethyl methacrylate) and poly (hexafluoroisopropyl methacrylate) and evaluate resist performance for both X-ray and deep UV exposure. Each fluorinated monomer will be copolymerized with 3-oximino-2 butanone methacrylate to give improved sensitivity for deep-UV exposure. The two copolymers will be evaluated for deep-UV properties neat and also sensitized with p-t-butylbenzoic acid. The four polymers will be chemically characterized and tested for application properties, sensitivity to deep-U and X-ray (homopolymers only), contrast, resolution, and refractive index versus wavelength. The developer and rinse cycle will be optimized for each polymer. Resist materials and developers from Phase I will be further optimized in Phase II and used for micromachining a wave guide.