Micro/Nano-Scale Fabrication and Integration of Polymer Waveguide Arrays for Optical Printed Circuit Board (O-PCB) and VLSI Photonic Application

초록

We present, in the form of review, the results of our study on the design, fabrication and integration of micro/nano-scale polymer optical waveguide arrays and circuits for optical printed circuit boards (O-PCBs) and VLSI micro/nano-photonic applications. We have used thermal embossing, UV embossing, nano-imprinting, and electron-beam techniques for their fabrication. The O-PCBs are designed to perform the functions of transporting, switching, routing and distributing optical signals on flat modular boards, substrates or chips, in a manner similar to the electrical printed circuit boards (E-PCBs). We have assembled and constructed O-PCBs using these waveguide arrays and circuits and have examined their information handling performances. We also discuss scientific and technological issues concerning the processes of miniaturization, interconnection and integration of polymer optical waveguide devices and arrays for O-PCB and VLSI micro/nano-photonics as applicable to board-to-board, chip-to-chip, and intra-chip integration for computers, telecommunications, and transportation systems