Materials for integrated optics

The term “integrated optics” was coined, in analogy with integrated electronic circuits, to describe a network of optical devices (such as sources, modulators, switches and detectors) on a single substrate joined by optical waveguides. Although much interesting and exciting research is in progress, we are far from realizing this concept today, even in the most rudimentary fonn. We are perhaps at the stage that integrated circuits were 15 or 20 years ago. Work is being done on suitable thin-film and diffused waveguide materials and on individual-unintegrated-devices in a planar waveguide geometry. Much of this work is summarized in a Special Issue of IEEE Trans., MTT 23, January 1975.