Polymer waveguides featuring isotropic and anisotropic sections: Application to the fabrication of polarization splitters

Abstract We present the fabrication of single-mode polymer waveguides featuring both isotropic and anisotropic sections on the same substrate. The core of the waveguide is made of a polymerizable liquid crystal, which is thermally patterned into isotropic and anisotropic regions before etching. Simulation is performed in order to design polarization-separating couplers. The technological fabrication is then presented as well as a first realization.