Effect of processing parameters on the optical properties of TiO2/ormosil planar waveguide

Hybrid TiO2/ormosil waveguiding films have been prepared by the sol-gel method at low thermal treatment temperature of 150 degrees C. The influence of processing parameters including the molar ratios of titanium butoxide (Ti(OBu)(4))/3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GLYMO) and H2O/Ti(OBu)(4) (expressed as R), especially aging of sot on the optical properties was investigated. The optical properties of films were measured with scanning electron microscope (SEM), UV/VIS/NIR spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), m-line and the scattering-detection method. The results indicate that the film thickness increases with the increase of sol aging time, but the variation of refractive index as a function of sot aging time depends on the relative ratios of GLYMO to Ti(OBu)(4). Higher transmittance and lower attenuation of the planar waveguide can be obtained in the sol with lower Ti(OBu)(4) contents and shorter aging time.