Optical coupling structure made by imprinting between single-mode polymer waveguide and embedded VCSEL

Karppinen, M.; Salminen, N.; Korhonen, T.; Alajoki, T.; Petäjä, J.; Bosman, E.; van Steenberge, G.; Justice, J.; Khan, U.; Corbett, B.; Boersma, A.

doi:10.1117/12.2082935

Optical coupling structure made by imprinting between single-mode polymer waveguide and embedded VCSEL

Title

Optical coupling structure made by imprinting between single-mode polymer waveguide and embedded VCSEL

Author

Karppinen, M.
Salminen, N.
Korhonen, T.
Alajoki, T.
Petäjä, J.
Bosman, E.
van Steenberge, G.
Justice, J.
Khan, U.
Corbett, B.
Boersma, A.

Contributor

Chen, R.T. (editor)
Schroder, H. (editor)

Publication year

2015

Abstract

Polymer-based integrated optics is attractive for inter-chip optical interconnection applications, for instance, for coupling photonic devices to fibers in high density packaging. In such a hybrid integration scheme, a key challenge is to achieve efficient optical coupling between the photonic chips and waveguides. With the single-mode polymer waveguides, the alignment tolerances become especially critical as compared to the typical accuracies of the patterning processes. We study novel techniques for such coupling requirements. In this paper, we present a waveguide-embedded micro-mirror structure, which can be aligned with high precision, even active alignment method is possible. The structure enables 90 degree bend coupling between a single-mode waveguide and a vertical-emitting/detecting chip, such as, a VCSEL or photodiode, which is embedded under the waveguide layer. Both the mirror structure and low-loss polymer waveguides are fabricated in a process based mainly on the direct-pattern UV nanoimprinting technology and on the use of UVcurable polymeric materials. Fabrication results of the coupling structure with waveguides are presented, and the critical alignment tolerances and manufacturability issues are discussed. Cop. 2015 SPIE.

Subject

Nano Technology
MAS - Materials Solutions
TS - Technical Sciences
Industry Electronics
Industrial Innovation
Integrated optics
Optical coupling
Optical interconnect
Polymer photonics
Single-mode waveguide
UV nano-imprinting