Realization of single-mode telluride rib waveguides for mid-IR applications between 10 and 20 μm.

The feasibility of all-telluride integrated optics devices based on waveguides presenting a single-mode behavior in the spectral range (10–20 μm) is demonstrated. These waveguides are constituted of a several micrometer thick Te82Ge18 film deposited onto a Te75Ge15Ga10 bulk glass substrate by thermal coevaporation and further etched by reactive ion etching under the CHF3/O2/Ar atmosphere. The obtained structures were proven to behave as channel waveguides with a good single-mode transmission over the whole spectral range. These results allowed validating our technological solution for the fabrication of integrated optics modal filters for spatial interferometry.