Fabrication of micropipes for optical interconnects using electroless processes

Abstract

A novel process for low cost fabrication of metallic micropipes has been successfully developed. This method requires only selective surface activation of a single mode optical fiber followed by electroless plating. Concentrated HF and sulfuric acid solutions are used to remove the glass core and the polymer buffer of the fiber with a rate of 500 μm/hr and 500 μm/min respectively. These micropipes can have different inner diameter (i.d.) such as 125 or 250 μm, depending on the size of the optical fiber, and hence they are very suitable for high precision splicing of single mode optical fibers as well as for optical switches used in fiber-optical systems. The fabrication process holds great promise to evolve into an inexpensive manufacturing process for mass production of micropipes and also it can be integrated with Silicon Optical Benches metallurgical techniques.