| Human society is entering into an information age powered by rapidly evolving technologies in areas of microelectronics, optoelectronics, computing and communications. However, due to the rapid increase of information, continuous requests have been made for the increase of speed, the enlargement of capacity and the decrease of cost of communications. Signal propagation and switching speeds in the electronic domain are inherently limited. Therefore, we must enter a new computing and communications revolution based on photonics, which is known to outperform electronics in many areas. The most dramatic changes in telecommunications have taken place in the last several years with the advent of optical dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM). DWDM has become the leading enabler for an all-optical network. The continuing development of fiber-based communications networks to accommodate future demands will eventually depend on the availability of cheap, reliable, and robust integrated optical waveguide devices for routing, switching, and detection. In the area of materials, polymer has attracted much more attention because they offer rapid processibility, cost-effectiveness, high yields, high performance, such as lower optical loss and smaller birefringence compared to silica, power-efficient thermal actuation due to a larger thermo-optic coefficient than in silica, and compactness owing to a large refractive index contrast.Among different techniques to enlarge the speed and capacity for the current fiber network, arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) multiplexer is very promising. AWG can offer some basic functions including multiplexing/ demultiplexing, optical add/drop multiplexing (OADM) and optical interconnection. Also, it possesses some advantages, such as easy optical integrating, narrow wavelength spacing, much more signal channels and low crosstalk. Recently, considerable attention and great efforts have been focused on the development of polymer AWG, because of their excellent particular features, such as easy fabrication, low propagation loss, small birefringence, and easy control of the refractive index. At present, many developed countries have put abundant researchers and money into the study of these devices, and have made great progress.This dissertation is concentrated on the polymer optical waveguide and AWG multiplexer. For the first time in China, a 9(9 polymer/Si AWG is reported in this dissertation. The main results are as follows:The research history and current situation about polymer optical waveguide and AWG were reviewed. The advantages of organic AWG over inorganic AWG were pointed out. The theory, applications and performance were discussed for the AWG. The characteristics analysis was performed for a 9(9 polymer/Si AWG multiplexer around the central wavelength of 1.55 (m with the wavelength spacing of 1.6 nm. Some important parameters were simulated, including FSR,(( and crosstalk.Polarization property is a significant guideline for optical waveguide device applied to DWDM and becomes a main restrictive factor. Starting with the structure optimum, we reported an effective work of polarization independence in the design of the AWG. Combining with practical technical error and loss characteristic, the effects of some parameters on polarization were discussed, such as the core size, the relative refractive index difference between the core and the cladding, and bent radii of the arrayed waveguides. The transmission spectra shows that the wavelength shift is 0.02nm, strongly supporting the optimum design.Etching mask is a key technique for device processing. And the metal is a widely used mask. In this work, taking aluminum for example, we systematically investigated the influences of sputtering and evaporation on device. We found out the sputtering process could produce a metal cladding, which increased absorption loss, on the core surface. The loss was calculated and the resolvent was given.Reactive ion etching (RIE) is a difficulty. The formation of wavy sidewal...
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