Polymer Waveguides for Co-Packaged Optics

In this study, we demonstrate photonic resonators by integrating polymeric waveguides using cost-effective ultraviolet (UV) contact lithography on glass substrates. Low-loss waveguides are realized while the quality (Q) factor of waveguide resonators can be up to 105. Employing the glass substrate effectively reduces optical power leakage and lowers the cost of a thick buried SiO2 layer compared to the conventional silicon substrate. Uniform, high extinction, single-mode resonances are identified within a broad spectrum (1540–1560 nm) in the telecommunication band. In addition, a hybrid waveguide platform integrating both polymers and dielectric Si3N4 is introduced on the glass substrates, offering the potential for enhanced optical confinement and a smaller device footprint. A comparable Q factor of approximately 105 is again achieved using etch-free processes and µm-scale UV contact lithography. This demonstration highlights the potential for a simple, fast, low-thermal budget configuration of high-quality glass-based photonics, which is advantageous for future co-packaged photonics on glass interposers.