Characterization of low-loss polymer modulators fabricated by laser ablation

Abstract

Electro-optic (EO) channel waveguide polymer phase modulators made by laser ablation are described. The ablation technique is capable of forming low loss channel waveguides at rapid rates with endface quality suitable for fiber pigtailed devices. Loss measurements as well as SEM micrographs were taken to optimize this process. Optical losses of these channel waveguides (before poling) were measured to be 0.37 dB/cm (TM mode) and 0.33 dB/cm (TE mode) at 1.32 micrometers wavelength. The polymer used as poly(methyl methacrylate) with disperse Red 1 dye attached as a side chain at a concentration of 10 mole %. In the poled channel waveguide phase modulator, an EO coefficient (r33) of 10.5 pm/V was achieved with electrode poling and measured by a heterodyne detection system.