Abstract: An optical waveguide is provided. The optical waveguide includes a polymer substrate and a lower cladding disposed on the substrate. The lower cladding is a first perhalogenated polymer. The optical waveguide also includes a core disposed on at least a portion of the lower cladding. A method of manufacturing the optical waveguide is also provided.

Abstract: An optical fiber that contains a core of polycarbonate and a coating is disclosed. The coating is a polymer that contains structural units conforming to specified formulae. Also disclosed is a method for preparing the inventive fibers and the use thereof for transmitting signals.

Abstract: There is provided a material which can give a high elasticity and heat resistance to an optical waveguide member by photo-curing while maintaining transparency in a near infrared region and further makes it possible to use a film forming process by a spin coating method and a process for producing a waveguide by photolithograph, to obtain a waveguide having a large area and to produce an optical waveguide having reduced water absorption, and further there can be provided an optical waveguide member and an optical waveguide device. Namely, there are provided a fluorine-containing optical waveguide material comprising a curable fluorine-containing prepolymer (I) which is a non-crystalline polymer having a fluorine content of not less than 25% by weight and has a carbon-carbon double bond in a polymer side chain and/or at an end of a polymer trunk chain, an optical waveguide member which is a cured article of the optical waveguide material and an optical waveguide device comprising the optical waveguide member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical polyimide precursor for use in making a polyimide. The precursor is defined by the following formula: wherein X is Cl, Br, oxo-halide, or fully halogenated alkyl, and A is a divalent aromatic or halogenated aromatic moiety. The present invention provides a method of preparing a diamine compound for use as an optical polyimide precursor. The method includes the steps of dissolving 2-chloro-5-nitrobenzotrifluoride and a diol in N,N-dimethylacetamide to form a solution, adding potassium carbonate, tert-butylammonium chloride and copper powder to said solution and heating the resulting mixture, removing the copper, precipitating and recrystallizing a dinitro-compound resulting from heating the mixture, and dissolving the dinitro-compound and reducing the dinitro-compound to yield a diamine compound.

Abstract: Into a mixture solution 2 of a high-refractive-index photo-curable resin A and a low-refractive-index photo-curable resin B, light capable of curing only the resin A is led through an optical fiber 1 so that a cured resin 211 of the resin A having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of a core portion of the optical fiber is formed so as to extend from a tip of the optical fiber. Then, the residual mixture solution 2 is cured. In this manner, a module having the previously cured high-refractive-index resin 211 as an optical waveguide can be formed easily. On this occasion, the mixed state of the mixture solution 2 can be kept good enough to facilitate the formation of the high-refractive-index resin 211 when the solubility parameter ?A of the high-refractive-index photo-curable resin A and the solubility parameter ?B and volume fraction ?B of the low-refractive-index photo-curable resin B satisfy the following expression (4). |?A??B|<?7.5?B+6.

Abstract: Compositions for use in optical fiber coatings and optical fibers and optical fiber arrays using these coatings are disclosed, as are methods for making the same. The compositions comprise a combination of two different radiation curable urethane oligomers, and can further comprise one or more reactive monomers. One of the oligomers has at least three functional groups that can undergo radiation cure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of forming a semiconductor component comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate, forming a pattern of pores in the semiconductor substrate, the pores having a first depth, photoassisted wet etching of the substrate for etching of the pores to a second depth, the second depth being substantially greater than the first depth.

Abstract: A resin composition for a coating for an optical fiber which comprises a radical polymerizable oligomer (A) and a radical polymerizable monomer (B), wherein (A) comprises a radical polymerizable oligomer (A1) with Mn of 600 to 1600 formed by reacting compounds (1) to (3) below: (1) an aliphatic polyol compound with Mn of 50 to 600, (2) a polyisocyanate compound with a ring structure, and (3) a compound with a hydroxyl group and a radical polymerizable unsaturated group; and a radical polymerizable oligomer (A2) formed by reacting compounds (4) to (6) below: (4) an aliphatic polyol compound with Mn of 800 to 10,000, (5) a polyisocyanate compound, and (6) a compound with a hydroxyl group and a radical polymerizable unsaturated group; a mass ratio (A1)/(A2) is 20/80 to 80/20, and a concentration of urethane linkages within the resin composition is 1.85 to 3.00 mol/kg.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a radiation curable primary coating composition and an optical fiber with said coating. The primary coating preferably results in excellent mechanical and physical properties, and when coated on optical fibers in a reduction in micro-bending transmission losses over optical fibers with conventional coatings. In one embodiment of this invention, it relates to a coated optical fiber comprising an optical fiber and a radiation cured primary coating wherein the radiation cured primary coating on the optical fiber comprises an oligomer and wherein the oligomer is formed from a reaction comprising a polyol having “m” hydroxyl functional groups, wherein “n” hydroxyl groups of said polyol are terminated in forming the oligomer and “m” is greater than “n”.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer lightguide which has a waveguide layer comprising a polyimide having a repeating unit represented by general formula (I): wherein R represents a bivalent organic group.

Abstract: The invention relates to a waveguide comprising a transparent polymeric central core clad externally with one or more polymeric layers, at least one of the core or clad layer containing layered particles disposed in a polymeric binder, wherein a majority of the particles have a lateral dimension less than 1 micrometer.

Abstract: Optical waveguide structures containing siloxane resin composistions as core materials and a method for preparing the waveguides are disclosed. The siloxane resin compositions can be cured by thermal energy or actinic radiation. In addition, conventional patterning techniques can be used, which makes the present method ideal for practicing on a commercial scale. The optical waveguides of the invention exhibit very low optical losses and are compatible with silicon processing requirements, which makes them useful in integrated circuitry. In addition, the high refractive index contrasts between the siloxane resin core and various claddings, including other siloxane resins, makes the waveguides particularly desirable.

Abstract: A technique to stabilize the effective refraction index of a laser generating system's wave guide, as well as a technique to stabilize the phase of the wave guide. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a polymer is used within the wave guide to counteract the effects of temperature on the clad material of the wave guide in order to create an overall effective refraction index that is substantially independent of temperature variations. Furthermore, in at least one embodiment of the invention relative segment lengths of the wave guide are chosen to stabilize the phase of the wave guide.

Abstract: A technique to stabilize the effective refraction index of a laser generating system's wave guide, as well as a technique to stabilize the phase of the wave guide. In at least one embodiment of the invention, a polymer is used within the wave guide to counteract the effects of temperature on the clad material of the wave guide in order to create an overall effective refraction index that is substantially independent of temperature variations. Furthermore, in at least one embodiment of the invention relative segment lengths of the wave guide are chosen to stabilize the phase of the wave guide.

Abstract: Several novel polyimide materials are disclosed.

Abstract: A process of producing a polymer optical waveguide, including (a) a step of forming an undercladding layer on a substrate; (b) a step of forming a photosensitive resin composition layer containing a 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative and a resin on the undercladding layer; (c) a step of irradiating a region of the photosensitive resin composition layer corresponding to a core pattern with UV light through a mask to form UV light-exposed areas and UV light-unexposed areas on the photosensitive resin composition layer; (d) a step of heating the UV light-exposed areas and UV light-unexposed areas of the photosensitive resin composition layer; and (e) a step of forming an overcladding layer on the photosensitive resin composition layer after heating.

Abstract: In a laser device and a light signal amplifying device with an optical fiber containing a laser activating substance in the inside for emitting a light beam from the end part in the case the laser activating substance is excited, fixed in a dense state at least partially by an optical medium, a polysilsesquioxane including a repeating unit represented by a general formula RSiO1.5 (wherein R represents an alkyl group, a hydroxyl group, a phenyl group, a vinyl group, a 2-chloroethyl group, a 2-bromoethyl group, a hydrogen, a heavy hydrogen, a fluorine, or an oxygen. However, one having R entirely as an oxygen is excluded. Moreover, R may be different per each repeating unit.) is used as the optical medium.

Abstract: A glass article comprising a glass substrate and a diamond-like film deposited on the substrate is disclosed. The glass article is desirably responsive to actinic radiation, such as being capable of demonstrating a change in refractive index upon exposure to actinic radiation. The film permits passage of the actinic radiation. through the film and into the substrate. In specific implementations, the film comprises at least about 30 atomic percent carbon, from about 0 to about 50 atomic percent silicon, and from about 0 to about 50 atomic percent oxygen on a hydrogen-free basis.

Abstract: A cycloolefin in copolymeric (COC) optical communication device. The COC optical communication device includes a core section of functional metallocene cycloolefin copolymer (f-mCOC) having a refractive index n1 for light transmission, and a cladding layer of metallocene cycloolefin copolymer (mCOC), having a refractive index n2 smaller than n1, surrounding the core section and forming a waveguide structure together with the core section. Due to the fact that the various components of the optical communication device are comprised of essentially the same materials, signal transmission loss between heterogeneous interfaces is prevented, and provides excellent optical properties and superior processability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multimode fiber having a refractive index profile, wherein the area surrounding the center of the fiber has a refractive index profile such that the responses of a DMD (Differential Mode Delay) measurement carried out on a fiber having a length of at least 300 m are obtained without any pulse splitting occurring in the center of the fiber.

Abstract: The invention provides polymeric optical materials that can be cured in air and have low optical loss in both the C-band and the L-band of the telecommunications spectrum. The polymeric materials are made by the free radical polymerization of an at least difunctional thiol compound with an at least difunctional ethylenically unsaturated compound wherein at least one of the thiol compound and the ethylenically unsaturated compound is at least partially halogenated. The compositions of this invention may be used to fabricate planar optical waveguides with low loss and low birefringence.

Abstract: An electro-optic waveguide device that includes (a) an electro-optic polymer core having a refractive index and (b) an electro-optic first polymer clad in proximity to the electro-optic polymer core.

Abstract: An process of forming multilayer thin film heterostructures is disclosed and includes applying a solution including a first water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species onto a substrate to form a first coating layer on the substrate, drying the first coating layer on the substrate, applying a solution including a second water-soluble polymer from the group of polyanionic species, polycationic species and uncharged polymer species onto the substrate having the first coating layer to form a second coating layer on the first coating layer wherein the second water-soluble polymer is of a different material than the first water-soluble polymer, and drying the second coating layer on the first coating layer so as to form a bilayer structure on the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to optical fibres comprising a core that contains a polycarbonate and a coating that consists of special polyacrylates or polymethacrylates and stabilizers. The invention also relates to a method for producing said optical fibres, to the use of the optical fibres for transmitting optical signals in means of transport and to means of transport containing said optical fibres. The stabilizers are selected from the group consisting of organic phosphites and organic sulphides.

Abstract: There is provided a material which can give a high elasticity and heat resistance to an optical waveguide member by photo-curing while maintaining transparency in a near infrared region and further makes it possible to use a film forming process by a spin coating method and a process for producing a waveguide by photolithograph, to obtain a waveguide having a large area and to produce an optical waveguide having reduced water absorption, and further there can be provided an optical waveguide member and an optical waveguide device. Namely, there are provided a fluorine-containing optical waveguide material comprising a curable fluorine-containing prepolymer (I) which is a non-crystalline polymer having a fluorine content of not less than 25% by weight and has a carbon-carbon double bond in a polymer side chain and/or at an end of a polymer trunk chain, an optical waveguide member which is a cured article of the optical waveguide material and an optical waveguide device comprising the optical waveguide member.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an optical waveguide structure includes the step of introducing light into a photo-curable liquid resin. The liquid resin can be a mixture of two types of photo-curable liquid resins having different curing initiation wavelengths and different refractive indexes. The method can include dipping one end of a fiber into the liquid mixture. Light having a wavelength &lgr;1 can be radiated from the tip end of the optical fiber in order to cure one of the photo-curable liquid resins thereby forming a waveguide. Light having a different wavelength &lgr;2 can be radiated from an area surrounding the waveguide so as to cure the liquid mixture and form a cladding portion around the waveguide.

Abstract: Chemically specific fiber and waveguide sensors are formed in a fiber optic or optical waveguide material in which injected light is trapped within a Bragg grating optical cavity. The Bragg cavity effectively traps the light for long times, corresponding to effective path lengths equal to hundreds or thousands of meters in the fiber or waveguide medium. The Bragg grating optical cavity is surrounded by a cladding of chemically sensitive material whose optical properties change when exposed to specific chemicals or classes of chemicals. The change in the optical properties of the cladding results in a change in the light trapping characteristics of the fiber or waveguide. Changes in optical transmission of the fiber optic or waveguide sensor can then be related to the concentration of specific chemicals or classes of chemicals in the environment surrounding the sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical component comprising a dispersion of layered minute particulate materials in a binder, the layered materials having a layer thickness, a concentration of particulate in the binder, and a basal plane spacing sufficient to provide a component having a light transmissivity of at least 50%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a waveguide comprising a transparent polymeric central core clad externally with one or more polymeric layers, at least one of the core or clad layer containing layered particles disposed in a polymeric binder, wherein a majority of the particles have a lateral dimension less than 1 micrometer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for coating optical fibers that includes a UV curable coating composition. The composition includes at least one component having at least one heterocyclic moiety capable of undergoing ring opening polymerization. The composition may also include at least one acrylate functional end group. The acrylate functional group may be on the same component as the heterocyclic moiety or on a second component. The cured composition has a Young's Modulus of at least about 100 MPa.

Abstract: Optical fiber coatings are disclosed having excellent ribbon stripping and adhesion behavior. The coatings are radiation-curable. The excellent stripping and adhesion behavior can be achieved by several means which include by use of additives, by use of radiation-curable oligomers having higher molecular weight, or by use of coatings having certain thermal properties. Combination of means can be employed. Stripping behavior can be measured by crack propagation and fiber friction measurements.

Abstract: The invention provides a multifunctional optical switch that among other things, optionally can function as an optical wavelength division multiplexer, wavelength division demultiplexer, add-drop multiplexer and/or inter-connect device. The invention further provides novel methods of manufacturing the optical switch. The optical switch can comprise a single layer, and optimally includes of a plurality of layers which each comprise an optical nonlinear second-order polymer. The optical nonlinear second-order polymer present in each layer differs from that present in any other layer in terms of its absorption maximum (i.e., due to possession of different chromophores).

Abstract: An optical waveguide is described which has a core and a sheath, each of which is made of a fully fluorinated fluorocarbon material. In particular, a fully fluorinated Teflon material such as Teflon AF 1600 or Teflon AF 2400, or a mixture thereof, is suitable as the fully fluorinated fluorocarbon. The optical waveguide is optically transparent around the 1300 nm and/or 1550 nm wave band. Furthermore, the core of the optical waveguide may have a refractive index that is higher than the refractive index of the sheath. The optical waveguide is suitable for use as, for example, an integrated optical waveguide for transmitting information in optical telecommunications.

Abstract: A structure for effecting a transition from a passive waveguide to an active waveguide or from an active waveguide to a passive waveguide of the present invention. The inventive device comprises a first cladding; a first core disposed within the first cladding; and a ground plane disposed over the first cladding and the core. A second cladding is disposed on the ground plane. A second core is disposed on the second cladding. A third cladding is disposed on the second cladding and the second core and an electrode is disposed on top of the third cladding. The inventive structure enables the construction of a novel an advantageous switch comprising an input port; an output port; and plural waveguides disposed between the input port and the output port. Each waveguide includes a first cladding; a first core disposed within the first cladding; and a ground plane disposed over the first cladding and the core. A second cladding is disposed on the ground plane. A second core is disposed on the second cladding.

Abstract: A graded index type optical fiber having a multilayer structure comprising a plurality of concentrically arranged layers formed of (co)polymers selected from the group consisting of two or more homopolymers HP1, HP2, . . . , HPn derived from monomers M1, M2, . . . , Mn, respectively, and having refractive indices decreasing in that order, and one or more binary copolymers CP derived from these monomers, the multilayer structure being such that a mixed layer consisting of the (co)polymers constituting two adjacent layers is formed therebetween, and the refractive index is highest at the center and decreases gradually toward the outer periphery. This optical fiber can be continuously formed by feeding the (co)polymers to a multilayer concentric circular nozzle and thereby extruding them through the nozzle, and allowing the polymers to interdiffuse between adjacent layers of the fiber.

Abstract: The present invention relates in general to optical waveguide devices, which preferably are planar, e.g., optical arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs), multiplexers/demultiplexers, optical add/drop multiplexers and the like. More particularly, the present invention provides integrated optical waveguide devices having central wavelengths (or channel wavelengths) which are temperature insensitive in that they do not or do almost not shift upon temperature variations in the environment. Such devices are also called athermalized or athermal devices. Preferably, most or all parts of such devices including waveguides, cladding material and the substrate itself consist of organic polymeric materials. The devices of the invention substantially remedy the problems encountered with the limitations and disadvantages of common devices as known in the prior art.

Abstract: Waveguides and integrated optical devices incorporating optically functional cladding regions are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electrooptic clad waveguide is provided with an optical waveguide core and first and second electrooptic cladding regions. The optical waveguide core is a substantially non-electrooptic material. The cladding regions are electrooptic polymers defining a refractive index that is less than that of the core. The first and second cladding regions may be configured such that their polar axes are oriented in opposite directions, different directions, or along a contour of an electric field. Additional embodiments of the present invention utilize other types of optically functional materials in the cladding regions.

Abstract: A fully light-controllable integrated optical switch applicable in a slab geometry configuration includes a waveguide and an ad-medium in contact with the waveguide. The the ad-medium comprises a photochromic protein as a material of non-linear optical property, wherein switching of a light propagating in the waveguide is effected by a change of an optical property of the ad-medium caused by a light-induced transition of the photochromic protein from one defined molecular state to another.

Abstract: A plastic optical fiber includes having a first core, a second core having a different refractive index from the first core, disposed concentrically on the outside of the first core, and a clad disposed concentrically on the outside of the second core, wherein a ratio X (r1/r2) of a first core radius r1 to a second core radius r2 and a ratio Y (n2/n1) of a refractive index difference n2 between the second core and the clad to a refactive index difference n1 between the first core and the clad are in a range that satisfies the expressions Y≧−1.134X+1.0518 (1), and X≦−1.4842Y2+1.1097Y+0.7097 (2), and provided that Y<0.4 or X≧0.76 and that coordinate pairs X=0.8 and Y=0.35 as well as X=0.8 and Y=0.45 are excluded. The plastic optical fiber can have a high transmission power and a wide bandwidth. A cable and an optical transimission device can each include this plastic optical fiber.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, an optical fiber Bragg grating comprises a length of gloss optical fiber having a core, a Bragg grating formed along the core, a glass cladding and a polymer coating on the cladding having an index of refraction matched to that the cladding. Such index matching can reduce the cladding mode loss by a factor of four over current levels. A preferred coating material comprises fluorinated urethane acrylate.

Abstract: A UV light-curable composition comprises: (a) a first component, said first component being UV light-polymerizable polymer having a first index of refraction; and (b) a second component, the second component being UV light-polymerizable monomer having a second index of refraction, the second index of refraction being higher than said first index of refraction; wherein the first component polymerizes slower upon exposure to UV radiation than the second component.

Abstract: An optical waveguide provided on a substrate, which comprises a core for transmitting light and a clad formed around the core, wherein the clad is made of a fluorinated alicyclic structure-containing polymer having functional groups.

Abstract: A polymer blend is provided. The blend includes poly[2,2-bistrifluoromethyl-4,5-difluoro-1,3-dioxole-co-tetrafluoroethylene] and poly[2,2,4-trifluoro-5-trifluoromethoxy-1,3-dioxole-co-tetrafluoroethylene]. A method of manufacturing the blend is also provided. An optical waveguide and a method of fabricating the optical waveguide using the polymer blend are also provided.

Abstract: A coating composition includes at least one oligomer including a polyol soft block having a number average molecular weight of more than about 4000, and at least one reactive monomer. The cured coating composition has a tensile strength of at least about 0.85 MPa and a Young's Modulus of less than about 1.3 MPa. The invention further includes an optical fiber having a primary coating layer with the aforementioned coating composition and a method for coating the optical fiber.

Abstract: Provided is a radiation curable resin composition suitable for use as a primary coating material for optical fibers, which can form a cured coating with a low modulus of elasticity exhibiting a high breaking strength, and small light transmission loss; the coating composition comprises (A) a polymer containing polymerizable unsaturated groups in an average amount of 1.2 per molecule, a urethane bond in a molecular chain, and having a number average molecular weight from 3,000 to 30,000, (B) a poly-functional monomer having two or more polymerizable unsaturated groups, (C) a monomer having one polymerizable unsaturated group, and (D) a radiation active initiator. The secant modulus of the coating is less than 0.15 kg/mm2, the tensile strength is more than 0.15 kg/mm2.

Abstract: A fluorinated polymerizable compound useful for fabricating planar optical devices includes at least one fluorinated alkylene or alkylene ether moiety and at least two terminal acrylate moieties, each terminal acrylate moiety being connected to one of the fluorinated alkylene or fluorinated alklene ether moieties by an ester linking group. The fluorinated polymerizable compounds, or macromers, of this invention are useful for forming optical components exhibiting a refractive index comparable to that of glass fiber waveguides, while also exhibiting very low absorption losses. Polymerizable compositions suitable for preparing optical components can be prepared by combining the macromers of the invention with a photoinitiator. Conventional optical monomers may also be employed, if desired.

Abstract: An optical waveguide is provided. The optical waveguide includes a polymer substrate and a lower cladding disposed on the substrate. The lower cladding is a first perhalogenated polymer. The optical waveguide also includes a core disposed on at least a portion of the lower cladding. A method of manufacturing the optical waveguide is also provided.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprises a silica multimode optical core having a refractive index n1 and at least one polymer optical cladding having a refractive index n2, with n1>n2. It further comprises a heterogeneous polymer intermediate optical cladding situated between the multimode core and the optical cladding and having a refractive index substantially equal to the refractive index n1 of the multimode core.

Abstract: Waveguides and integrated optical devices incorporating optically functional cladding regions are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electrooptic clad waveguide is provided with an optical waveguide core and first and second electrooptic cladding regions. The optical waveguide core is a substantially non-electrooptic material. The cladding regions are electrooptic polymers defining a refractive index that is less than that of the core. The first and second cladding regions may be poled in opposite or perpendicular directions or along a contour of an electric field. Additional embodiments of the present invention utilize other types of optically functional materials in the cladding regions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for preparing optical fiber coatings, the composition including a polymerizable base composition, containing at least one monomer and optionally at least one oligomer, wherein the polymerizable base composition is substantially free of unsaturated epoxidized diene polymers, and a tackifier present in an amount effective to modify a time-sensitive rheological property of a polymerization product of the composition. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of modifying a time-sensitive rheological property of an optical fiber coating by introducing into a polymerizable composition a tackifier in an amount effective to modify a time-sensitive rheological property of the polymerization product of the polymerizable composition. Also disclosed are an optical fiber, a fiber optic ribbon, and a fiber bundle that contain coating(s) prepared from a composition of the present invention.