Experimental study of perfectly patterned silica-titania optical waveguide

Inorganic silica-titania thin films with thicknesses 150 nm–200 nm are deposited on high purity and polished silicon wafer and silica glass substrates by sol-gel dipping process and are patterned by capillary force lithography technique. Subsequently grating structure is embossed in green stage. The patterned gel films are subjected to stepwise heat treatment to 500 °C and above in pure oxygen atmosphere in order to achieve major conversion of mixed-gel to oxide optical films which are characterized by Ellipsometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to optimize the fabrication parameters and to get perfectly matched film. Removal of organics and formation of perfectly inorganic silica-titania network at optimized heat treatment in controlled environment are ensured by FTIR spectral study. The difference in refractive indices between the substrate and coated film as calculated theoretically matches exactly with the developed waveguides for operating wavelength (632.8 nm) and the measured optical properties show the planar waveguide behavior of the films.