Characterization of Poly(phenylsilsequioxane) for Planar Integrated Optical Waveguide Applications

Our research characterized the fundamental optical properties of poly(phenylsilsequioxane) (PPSQ) planar waveguides in an effort to determine the material's suitability as a guided wave optical interconnect in polymer. Material characterization included determining the refractive index, mode structure, and optical losses of 1-2 m PPSQ films. Optical loss measurements indicate that PPSQ planar waveguides have a propagation loss of 0.17 dB/cm at 632.8 nm for first order TE modes in thin films between 1.72 m and 1.32 The silicon backbone polymer is experimentally shown to be thermally stable for temperatures up to 400°C, with no apparent change in index of refraction, volume, or optical loss. Experimental results indicate that the material is compatible with standard microelectronic fabrication and a strong candidate for use in optical waveguide applications