@article{KeferLimbachPapeetal.2024, author = {Kefer, Stefan and Limbach, Tobias and Pape, Natalie and Klamt, Kathrin and Schmauss, Bernhard and Hellmann, Ralf}, title = {Birefringence in Injection-Molded Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Substrates and Its Impact on Integrated Photonic Structures}, series = {Polymers}, volume = {16}, journal = {Polymers}, number = {2}, doi = {10.3390/polym16020168}, pages = {168 -- 168}, year = {2024}, abstract = {This contribution quantifies the birefringence within injection-molded cyclic olefin copolymer plates and discusses its impact on the mechanical properties of the plates. It also focuses on the impact of birefringence on integrated waveguides and Bragg gratings and provides fabrication guidelines for such structures. The anisotropy in all three dimensions of the workpiece is examined by means of polarimetry and a prism coupler. It is found that the birefringence is inhomogenously distributed within the workpieces, whereas the maximum birefringence not only varies locally, but also depends on the observation direction. Overall, a maximum birefringence of 10 × 10-4 is found at the plate's surface near the injection gate. The anisotropy then reduces exponentially towards the center of the workpiece and saturates at 1.8 × 10-4, in a depth of 0.4 mm. Thus, the birefringence strongly affects near-surface photonic structures. It is found that, depending on their orientation and the local birefringence of the substrate, waveguides and Bragg gratings fabricated with comparable parameters behave completely differently in terms of polarization-dependent optical attenuation, cross-sectional intensity distribution and Bragg reflection signal. For example, the support of the TM mode can vary between total loss and an optical attenuation of 0.9 dB × cm-1. In consequence, this study underlines the importance of quantifying the birefringent state of an injection-molded cyclic olefin copolymer workpiece if it is supposed to serve as a substrate for integrated photonic structures. The study furthermore demonstrates that birefringence effects can be omitted by burying the photonic structures deeper into the volume of the thermoplastic.}, subject = {Bragg-Reflektor}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{KeferPapeGriesetal.2023, author = {Kefer, Stefan and Pape, Natalie and Gries, Nikola and Roth, Gian-Luca and Schmauss, Bernhard and Hellmann, Ralf}, title = {Towards Pressure Sensors Based on Polymer Planar Bragg Gratings}, series = {Organic Photonic Materials and Devices XXV}, booktitle = {Organic Photonic Materials and Devices XXV}, isbn = {9781510659414}, doi = {10.1117/12.2648723}, year = {2023}, abstract = {While Bragg grating-based optical devices have shown promising performances for pressure sensing applications, their sensitivity, especially in the low-pressure regime, is unsatisfying and needs to be optimized by elaborate designs, such as cantilevers or other extrinsic mechanical transducers. This contribution demonstrates and discusses a novel concept for optical pressure sensors based on polymer planar Bragg gratings. Waveguide and Bragg grating are fabricated underneath the surface of a temperature-stable and humidity-insensitive cyclic olefin copolymer substrate by means of a femtosecond laser. Based on the employed direct-writing procedure, in combination with adaptive, in-situ beam shaping with a spatial light modulator, writing depth, i.e., location of the photonic structures within the substrate, as well as Bragg grating periodicity and positioning can be deliberately chosen. Afterwards, the polymer substrate is post-processed with a high-precision micro mill, so a diaphragm comprising the integrated photonic structures is generated. The resulting diaphragm exhibits a thickness of 300 µm and a diameter of 10 mm. Finally, the optical sensor is packaged and sealed to form an air-filled gas pocket underneath the diaphragm. Deformations of the diaphragm by external pressure changes translate to strain variations along the waveguide axis and thus perturb the Bragg grating period. This leads to changes in the grating's wavelength of main reflection, which can be evaluated in order to quantify the relative external pressure. With this straightforward optical sensor concept, pressure sensitivities up to 39 pm kPa-1, within relative pressures ranges from 78 kPa to 372 kPa, are achieved.}, subject = {Bragg-Reflektor}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{KeferPapeSchmaussetal.2023, author = {Kefer, Stefan and Pape, Natalie and Schmauss, Bernhard and Hellmann, Ralf}, title = {Fabrication of Lattice-Like Waveguides in Planar Cyclic Olefin Copolymers}, series = {28th International Conference on Optical Fiber Sensors}, booktitle = {28th International Conference on Optical Fiber Sensors}, isbn = {978-1-957171-30-2}, doi = {10.1364/OFS.2023.Th6.69}, year = {2023}, abstract = {This work demonstrates the femtosecond laser-based fabrication of lattice-like waveguides in planar cyclic olefin copolymers. An overview of the fabrication process is provided and waveguiding in the C-band is proven via optical near-field analysis.}, subject = {Wellenleiter}, language = {en} } @article{KeferPapeBischoffetal.2024, author = {Kefer, Stefan and Pape, Natalie and Bischoff, Kay and Schmauss, Bernhard and Hellmann, Ralf}, title = {Lattice-Like Waveguides With Integrated Bragg Gratings in Planar Cyclic Olefin Copolymers}, series = {Journal of Lightwave Technology}, volume = {42}, journal = {Journal of Lightwave Technology}, number = {18}, publisher = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)}, issn = {0733-8724}, doi = {10.1109/JLT.2023.3328323}, pages = {6302 -- 6311}, year = {2024}, abstract = {This contribution demonstrates femtosecond laser direct writing of lattice-like waveguides in planar cyclic olefin copolymer substrates. Based on numerical simulation and experimental near-field analysis, stable single-mode waveguiding around wavelengths of 1550 nm is demonstrated. The waveguiding mechanism is based on a hexagonal array of laser-induced, positive refractive index modification lines. Thus, the lateral extension of the guided mode can be adapted by varying the fabrication parameters and, in consequence, the resulting cross-sectional arrangement of the refractive index perturbations. With an optical attenuationof 2.2 dB·cm-1 around 1550 nm, the fabricated waveguides are well-suited for on-chip integrated photonic devices. Moreover, the waveguides can also be equipped with Bragg gratings to enable the application of the photonic platform as a sensing device. Dependingon their length, the Bragg grating structures exhibit reflectivities ofup to 99\% and spectral widths down to 0.3 nm. The flexibility of the fabrication process and the sensing capabilities of the lattice-like waveguides with integrated Bragg gratings are underlined by an exemplary application study demonstrating a relative pressure sensor. For that, a photonic platform is micromilled to generate a 300 µm thick diaphragm and a reference pressure chamber. The strain introduced to the diaphragm by external pressure changes can then be quantified by the integrated photonic structures.This way, absolute pressure sensitivities of up to 38 pm·kPa-1 can be achieved in a relative pressure range from -60 to 100 kPa. The newly-developed lattice-like waveguides with integrated Bragggratings are therefore well-suited for the realization of novel and adaptable photonic devices and sensors.}, subject = {Wellenleiter}, language = {en} }