Abstract

In glass fiber communication systems the need arises for distributing optical signals from one incoming to several outgoing glass fibers. Very little has been published /1/ with regard to this problem. If the coupling problem of monomode glass fibers to strip waveguides is solved satisfactorily such distribution networks can be realised by means of integrated optical components, i.e. either by means of directional couplers or by simple branching waveguides together with tapers. In the case of multimode glass fibers with core dimensions typically around 100 μm the standard processes for integrated optics are no longer well suited if one tries to butt join the glass fiber to the integrated optical strip waveguide. The strip waveguide would then have to be ≈ 100 μm thick which is difficult to achieve with the standard processes for waveguide fabrication in integrated optics, namely sputtering, evaporation or ion implantation. Also the standard photoresists required for pattern definition are only usable up to it ≈ 5 μm thickness.

© 1976 Optical Society of America