| This thesis describes the fabrication and characterization of integrated hollow Bragg waveguides fabricated by controlled thin film buckling. Hollow waveguides based on two different set of materials were studied. In the first case, thermal tuning of air-core dimensions was studied using waveguides, with chalcogenide glass and polymer claddings. Results showed that the change in air-core height as a function of small temperature variations was in good agreement with theory.;Planar, silicon based, hollow core waveguides with Si/SiO2 Bragg reflector claddings are also described. Fabrication was accomplished by incorporating compressive stress in the sputtered Si and SiO2 layers and then heating samples to induce buckling along predefined areas of low adhesion. Several low adhesion layers were studied, but a fluorocarbon layer was deposited by CVD gave the best results. Optical experiments demonstrated optical confinement in the air-core, with loss in the 5 dB/cm range at the 1550 nm wavelength. |
