Fabrication of integrated waveguide grating in azo polymers

Abstract

In this Letter, we have introduced a technique, new to our knowledge, to fabricate gratings on a waveguide of azo-functionalized polymeric films using a slit mask and a fast, direct-writing method. To prevent the destruction of the waveguide by the grating formation on the waveguide, we placed a slit mask on the waveguide. By properly adjusting the resonance, this grating can be used as an integrated wavelength filter. We have produced an attenuation of 13:4dB at 1562nm with a FWHM of 3:45 nm. The grating has been fabricated as narrow as the width of the waveguide to couple filtered light into the waveguide by using a slit mask. Any light shifted from the resonance will pass through the waveguide undisturbed. © 2011 Optical Society of America.