THE INTERFACE STRUCTURE OF POLYIMIDE GUIDES ETCHED BY ION IRRADIATION

Ion irradiations in the 100 keV energy range are carried out for polyi mide etching in order to achieve wave guiding structures. Three irradi ation processes are implemented: A single bombardment and two bombardm ent sets, one with increasing ion energies, the second with decreasing ion energies. The purpose of this paper is to show how the etching de pth can be controlled and to characterize the resulting interface laye r, where the refraction occurs. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.