The present invention provides a resin composition for an optical
waveguide and a resin film for optical waveguides, the composition and the film being soluble in an aqueous alkaline solution, being patternable as required by alkali development, and exhibiting a lower
optical propagation loss at a
wavelength of from 830 to 850 nm, and an optical
waveguide using the composition or the film. The resin composition for an optical
waveguide according to the present invention includes (A) a
polymer, (B) a polymerizable compound, and (C) a
polymerization initiator. A
refractive index A of the film after
irradiation with UV light and heat-curing and a
refractive index B of the film after
irradiation with UV light, immersion in an alkali developer, and then heat-curing satisfy the relationship of A>B. As an optical waveguide produced by alkali development using the resin composition according to the present invention has, on at least part of the periphery of a core pattern that forms a core layer, a portion having a
refractive index that is lower than the refractive index of the central portion of the core pattern, the optical waveguide is effective in preventing light travelling through the core layer from leaking out into the cladding layer, which can lower
optical propagation loss.