Sol-gel processing for optical communication technology

Sol-gel is a versatile technology offering advantageous processing of complex shapes as well as material compositions. In the realm of optical communications, the applicability of a number of dielectric and hybrid materials in various photonic devices makes the technology particularly appealing vis-a-vis the vapor-phase methods that dominate the field today. One can rind numerous reports of sol-gel processing for photonic components, although instances where this has been developed for product manufacture are far fewer. Here, we examine the different classes of optical communication devices from fibers to waveguides to photonic crystals and the ability of sol-gel processing to address their needs. Successful deployment appears to depend on two aspects: making innovative modifications to the traditional concept and developing supporting technologies to overcome the key drawbacks.