GeO2/organically modified silane sol-gel hybrid organic-inorganic films for photonic applications

GeO₂/organically modified silane organic inorganic hybrid films were prepared by a low temperature sol-gel spin coating process for optical photonic applications. Effects of the germanium content and heat treatment temperature on the optical and structural properties of the hybrid waveguide films were characterized by prism coupling technique, atomic force microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The results indicate that a crack-free, dense, and high transparency in the visible range optical waveguide film with a thickness of more than 2 mum could be easily obtained by a single spin-coating process and a low heat treatment temperature. Furthermore, neodymium ions and azobenzene small molecular groups-doped GeO₂/organically modified silane hybrid films were also studied for up-conversion and optical switch applications. Luminescence and photo-responsive properties were observed from the doped hybrid films. These indicate that the as-prepared hybrid materials are promising candidates for integrated optics and photonic applications.