Defect Analysis on Optical Waveguide Arrays by Synchrotron Radiation Microtomography

In recent years, great attention has been devoted to the study and realization of polymeric optical waveguides embedded in printed circuit boards due to the increasing need of transferring large amounts of data at high speed within computer and telecommunication devices. Nonuniform microstructural defects that can be induced during the manufacturing process can dramatically influence the waveguide performance. The synchrotron radiation computed microtomography technique was used to obtain 3-D microstructural information, specifically to observe small defects, such as porosities, in a nondestructive way. Porosity level and pore size range were evaluated.