Planar waveguide devices based on sol-gel-derived photopatternable hybrid material

In this paper, we report the fabrication of rib waveguides and passive waveguide devices such as multimode interference (MMI) splitters using sol-gel organic-inorganic hybrid materials. The multilayered waveguides were developed, using spin-coating and photolithography processes. Optical coupling using lasers of 632.8-, 780- and 1550-nm wavelength was conducted by direct fiber end-face coupling to polished waveguide faces. Coupling between waveguides with different separations was studied using groups of identical waveguides. Waveguide propagation loss was characterized using the cutback method, revealing an average loss of 0.3-0.4 dB/cm at 780 nm. MMI effects were detected with 1×2 and 1×4 MMI splitters.