Fabrication of Buried-type Waveguide with Optical Gates by Nano Ion-Exchange Method

摘要

Buried-type optical waveguide with blanches for the gate of optical signals was fabricated by nano ion-exchange method using the probe of atomic force microscope (AFM) as an electrode. 2-step procedure of the electric field-assisted Ag/Na-ion exchange followed by K/Na one was applied to prepare the waveguide structure inside the glass substrate. Pt-coated AFM probe as a cathode was attached to the glass surface and Ag~+ ions in the core underneath the probe were partially extracted towards the glass surface. The protruding high index regions from the core towards the glass surface were found to work as the optical gate where the wavelength and intensity of light through the gate was determined by the condition of nano ion-exchange treatment.