Precision moulding techniques for optical waveguide devices

Single-mode optical waveguide devices with integrated fibre-alignment grooves have been fabricated by injection moulding of structured substrates and by subsequent filling of the waveguide channels with higher refractive index polymers. The master forms of the microstructures have been micro-machined in silicon. A special injection moulding tool has been developed to yield plastic substrate chips with high surface planarity and replicated microstructures with details in the submicron range. Hot embossing is a further technology applied for the fabrication of large area waveguide devices with integrated mirrors, mainly intended for optical backplane applications. The hot embossing tool is driven on an injection moulding machine which is a more cost effective method than the acquisition of conventional hot embossing equipment. In this paper, the injection moulding as well as the hot embossing tool will be described together with the process and the results in the field of passive components for optical telecommunications and datacommunications.