Chapter 6 - THIN-FILM WAVEGUIDE FABRICATION AND TESTING CONSIDERATIONS
In this lecture the fabrication of thin-film dielectric waveguides with two dimensional confine­ ment is described. A review of etching and implantation techniques that have been used to fabricate glass waveguide bends and couplers is given. Also included is a description of some of the testing procedures that have been used either during the fabrication process or to determine the optical properties of waveguides.
The effects of absorbed water and environmental cycling on phenol formaldehyde/glass fiber composites were examined in this study. The process of water ingression was found to follow a Fickian diffusion model. The loss modulus of the laminates decreased as a result of water absorption and thermal cycling. Laminates that contained water demonstrated an increase in storage modulus with thermal cycling at high temperatures. Furthermore, it was shown that the majority of property changes occurred when the laminates were exposed to extreme conditions that caused the absorbed free water to freeze or vaporize.