Cladding solidification process by fiber guided light: Fabrication of low-loss light-induced self-written optical waveguide

The light-induced self-written (LISW) optical waveguide technique has emerged as a promising solution for achieving passive alignment between telecommunication and silicon photonic devices. In this study, we proposed and demonstrated an advanced selective polymerization process for the fabrication of all-solid LISW optical waveguides. Cladding solidification was accomplished through the propagation of ultraviolet or violet light via a single-mode fiber (SMF). The self-coupling of all-solid LISW optical waveguides between two SMFs was successfully realized through the application of this technique. Notably, a low insertion loss, ranging from 0.3 to 0.7 dB at a wavelength of 1550 nm, was measured for the all-solid LISW optical waveguide. Furthermore, we demonstrated the applicability of this refined process in achieving self-coupling for silicon photonics.