A CONFIGURATION FOR GUIDED-WAVE EXCITATION INTO A DISPOSABLE INTEGRATED-OPTIC HEAD

A configuration is proposed for exciting a guided wave in a waveguide on a disposable integrated-optic head. Applications are towards sensor devices where the active component is best manufactured as a cheap di sposable unit. In our approach a waveguide coupling edge is separated from the main substrate end so as to protect this optical surface from damage during handling and to ensure that high coupling efficiency is obtainable for the disposable units. A coded trench marker is introdu ced on both sides of the waveguide coupling edge to obtain error signa ls for actively aligning the light source with the disposable waveguid e. A demonstrator was fabricated and the error detection principle was experimentally confirmed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.