Method for fabrication of multilayered optical waveguide structure and mulitlayered optical waveguide structure

Abstract

A method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure which includes at least two substrates, and an optical waveguide layer disposed between the substrates and having at least one core region and side cladding regions laterally succeeding from the core region. The method is characterized in that the optical waveguide layer is formed from a polysilane compound containing polysilane, and it comprises stacking a first block including one of the substrates and a second block including the other of the substrates through the optical waveguide layer or a cladding layer located at a surface of either one of the blocks, and heating them while pressed in such arrangement so that the first block and the second block are bonded together by the optical waveguide layer or the cladding layer serving as a bonding layer into the multilayered structure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a sectional view which shows an embodiment of a fabrication process in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically shows a sectional view which shows another embodiment of a fabrication process in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a sectional view which shows a further embodiment of a fabrication process in accordance with the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure which includes at least two substrates, and at least one optical waveguide layer disposed between the substrates and having at least one core region and side cladding regions laterally succeeding from the core region, said method is characterized in that said optical waveguide layer is formed from a polysilane compound containing polysilane; andit comprises stacking a first block including one of said substrates and a second block including the other of the substrates through the optical waveguide layer located at a surface of either one of the blocks, and heating them while in such arrangement so that the first block and the second block are bonded together by the optical waveguide layer serving as a bonding layer to form the multilayered structure.

2. A method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure which includes at least two substrates, an optical waveguide layer having at least one core region and side cladding regions laterally succeeding from the core region, and a cladding layer provided on at least one surface of the optical waveguide layer, with the optical waveguide layer and the cladding layer being disposed between the substrates, said method is characterized in that said optical waveguide layer and/or said cladding layer is formed from a polysilane compound containing polysilane; andit comprises stacking a first block including one of said substrates and a second block including the other of the substrates through the optical waveguide layer or cladding layer located at a surface of either one of said blocks, and heating them while in such arrangement so that the first block and the second block are bonded together by the optical waveguide layer or cladding layer serving as a bonding layer to form the multilayered structure.

3. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 1, characterized in that said side cladding region of the optical waveguide layer and/or said cladding region is formed as a result of exposure to ultraviolet light that renders the side cladding region and/or the cladding layer lower in refractive index than the unexposed core region.

4. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 3, characterized in that, subsequent to formation of said side cladding region, the optical waveguide layer is subjected to a heat treatment.

5. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 1, characterized in that said polysilane composition contains polysilane and a silicone compound.

6. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 5, characterized in that a blending proportion (polysilane:silicone compound) by mass of said polysilane and said silicone compound is in the range of 5:95-80:20.

7. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 5, characterized in that said polysilane composition further contains an organic peroxide.

8. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 7, characterized in that said organic peroxide is contained in the amount of 10-30 parts by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of said polysilane and silicone compound.

9. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 1, characterized in that, in bonding said first block and said second block into the multilayered structure, they are heated in the 60-350° C. temperature range.

10. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 1, characterized in that, in bonding said first block and said second block into the multilayered structure, they are heated while pressed against each other.

11. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 10, characterized in that bonding of said first block and said second block is carried out in a reduced-pressure atmosphere.

12. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 10, characterized in that, in bonding said first block and said second block into the multilayered structure, they are pressed at a pressure of 1 K-100 MPa.

13. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 1, characterized in that each of said first block and said second block has the optical waveguide layer.

14. A multilayered optical waveguide structure fabricated by the method as recited in claim 1.

15. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 2, characterized in that said side cladding region of the optical waveguide layer and/or said cladding region is formed as a result of exposure to ultraviolet light that renders the side cladding region and/or the cladding layer lower in refractive index than the unexposed core region.

16. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 15, characterized in that, subsequent to formation of said side cladding region, the optical waveguide layer is subjected to a heat treatment.

17. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 2, characterized in that said polysilane composition contains polysilane and a silicone compound.

18. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 17, characterized in that a blending proportion (polysilane:silicone compound) by mass of said polysilane and said silicone compound is in the range of 5:95-80:20.

19. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 17, characterized in that said polysilane composition further contains an organic peroxide.

20. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 19, characterized in that said organic peroxide is contained in the amount of 10-30 parts by mass, based on 100 parts by mass of said polysilane and silicone compound.

21. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 2, characterized in that, in bonding said first block and said second block into the multilayered structure, they are heated in the 60-350° C. temperature range.

22. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 2, characterized in that, in bonding said first block and said second block into the multilayered structure, they are heated while pressed against each other.

23. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 22, characterized in that bonding of said first block and said second block is carried out in a reduced-pressure atmosphere.

24. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 22, characterized in that, in bonding said first block and said second block into the multilayered structure, they are pressed at a pressure of 1 K-100 MPa.

25. The method for fabrication of a multilayered optical waveguide structure as recited in claim 2, characterized in that each of said first block and said second block has the optical waveguide layer.

26. A multilayered optical waveguide structure fabricated by the method as recited in claim 2.