PDMS-based optical waveguide layer for integration in electrical–optical circuit boards

This paper reports on the optical properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a high-performance optical material system for optical interconnects. It is shown that optical PDMS layers laminated into printed circuit boards meet the requirements for low cost, low loss (0.06 dB/cm at 850 nm), high temperature (>290∘C) stable and mechanically robust electrical–optical circuit boards. A first production line for optical waveguide layers will be discussed.