Characterization and estimation of refractive index profile of laser-written photopolymer optical waveguides

In this study, channel waveguides fabricated in photopolymer films by direct-writing using a low-power CW laser, are used as phase objects in a simple plane-wave diffraction setup, and the refractive index modulation profiles of the waveguides are characterized using the recorded diffraction patterns. Index profiles are modeled by piece-wisely combining two Gaussian functions representing the central and the tail regions. Measured diffraction patterns are matched with patterns generated using the model. This simple model makes it possible to design various channel waveguides embedded into polymer substrates. The proposed model is tested on three distinctive waveguide profiles written on the same Acrylamide/Polyvinyl Alcohol based photopolymer with different exposures.