Flexografically printed optical waveguides for complex low-cost optical networks

verfasst von

Keno Pflieger, Ejvind Olsen, Ludger Overmeyer

Abstract

Flexographic printing enables the rapid production of complex planar optical networks at low costs. Only waveguides without an upper cladding have been fabricated using flexographic printing. In these systems, the waveguide core is guided in contact with air. The Polymer Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) has been used as the lower cladding in previous systems. In this paper, a process for a flexographically printed waveguide in a complete cladding of UV-curable polymer will be demonstrated for the first time. Straight waveguides with cladding are compared to waveguides with without an upper cladding. Attenuation is determined to be 1.85 dB cm-1 and 2.1 dB cm-1, respectively. In addition, s-bends are manufactured. For these, the cutoff radius is 22 mm (not cladded) and 30 - 45 mm (cladded). The results show that it is possible to manufacture waveguides suitable for industrial applications flexographically.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Institut für Transport- und Automatisierungstechnik
PhoenixD: Simulation, Fabrikation und Anwendung optischer Systeme

Typ

Aufsatz in Konferenzband

Publikationsdatum

2022

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Elektronische, optische und magnetische Materialien, Physik der kondensierten Materie, Angewandte Informatik, Angewandte Mathematik, Elektrotechnik und Elektronik

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2606364 (Zugang: Geschlossen)