An integrated thin-film thermo-optic waveguide beam deflector

We have demonstrated the operation of a thin-film thermo-optical beam deflector in a three-layer optical planar waveguide. The fabricated waveguide beam deflector consists of a thin-film SiO2 bottom cladding layer, a thin-film polymer top cladding layer, and alternatively positioned thin-film polymer and silica microprisms as the guiding layer. The beam deflection is achieved through the thermo-optic effect that results in opposed index changes in polymer and silica with respect to temperature changes. The measured deflection sensitivity is 0.06 degrees/degrees C, for the fabricated device with a 7.0 mm interaction length at the wavelength of 632.8 nm. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)00916-5].