Dye-doped polymeric planar waveguide devices based on a thermal UV-bleaching technique

A new type of single-mode embedded dye-doped polymeric planar waveguide device based on cross-linkable negative photoresist has been successfully designed and fabricated using a UV-bleaching technique. A notable difference in the refractive index of the resist between exposed and un-exposed regions was observed, which was found to be dependent on the curing temperature. The new fabrication technique is a simple, rapid, and controllable process. The easy-to-fabricate waveguide structure is suitable for planar light-wave circuit applications. By optimizing the poling temperature and the dopant levels of Disperse Red 1, the material showed excellent photostability and exhibited a electro-optic coefficient, γ33, of 25 pm/V. The dye-doped polymeric planar waveguide devices will be useful in realizing electro-optic (EO) modulators and switches.