Optical Waveguide Inclined Surface Outer Cladding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high fabrication cost of optical waveguides due to the necessity of forming metal films on inclined surfaces, which increases production costs and is not necessary for light transmission.
Innovation Solution
An optical waveguide design featuring a layered structure with inclined surfaces that utilize an outer cladding layer with a lower refractive index than the core layer, allowing for total or partial reflection of light without the need for a metal film, thereby reducing fabrication costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metal film is formed on the inclined surface by deposition or spattering to change the transmission direction of light, then the light transmission direction can be effectively changed, but the fabrication cost of the optical waveguide increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the metal film component from the optical waveguide structure. By removing the expensive metal film deposition process while maintaining the inclined surface geometry, the invention achieves light direction control through total internal reflection alone, thereby reducing fabrication costs while preserving optical functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive metal films with a simpler, more economical structure consisting only of the inclined surface and cladding layers. This substitution uses cheaper materials and processes (standard semiconductor fabrication techniques) to achieve the same optical function without requiring costly metal deposition
2Reliability
If a metal film is formed on the inclined surface to change the transmission direction of light, then the optical function is achieved, but the fabrication process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the metal film formation step from the fabrication process. By extracting this complex deposition or spattering process, the invention simplifies the manufacturing workflow to standard semiconductor fabrication techniques, reducing process complexity while maintaining optical functionality through the inclined surface geometry alone
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables cost-effective production of optical waveguides by eliminating the requirement for metal films on inclined surfaces while maintaining effective light reflection, thus addressing the bottleneck of high fabrication costs in existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
an outer cladding layer that seals at least a portion of the inclined surface corresponding to the core layer, wherein a refractive index of the outer cladding layer is smaller than that of the core layer
Implementation Method 2
a refractive index of the outer cladding layer is smaller than that of the core layer
Data Source
AI summary
An optical waveguide is provided. The optical waveguide includes: a layered structure including: a first cladding layer; a second cladding layer; and a core layer that is sandwiched between the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, wherein an inclined surface is formed on at least one longitudinal end of the layered structure; and an outer cladding layer that seals at least a portion of the inclined surface corresponding to the core layer, wherein a refractive index of the outer cladding layer is smaller than that of the core layer.