Scattering loss reduction in polymer waveguides by reflowing

A polymer channel waveguide was fabricated by reactive ion etching. Loss measurements were performed on this waveguide before and after reflowing. The waveguide loss decreases from 3 to 1 dB/cm by heating the sample slightly above the glass transition temperature of the core material. This result in channel loss is very close to the measured film losses of 0.8 dB/cm.