Hybrid silica–polymer structure for integrated optical waveguides with new potentialities

We report some features of a new waveguide structure in integrated optic providing new potentialities. We propose to use specific polymers as overlayer of ridge silica waveguides. This method can be used to finely tune the superstrate refractive index in order to adjust performances of components. In this paper, we give as examples, the auto-stabilization of integrated Bragg gratings and also, first experiments to realize thermo-optic directional couplers which can be achieved by combining these two materials in the waveguide structure.