Fabrication of 1×2 Y-branch polymer waveguide coupler by using softlithography technique

Fabrication of 1×2 Y-branch polymer optical fiber (POF) coupler device based on optical polymer epoxy OG142 has been performed using softlithographic process. The device development composed of three part: simulation, fabrication and characterization. Non-sequential ray tracing software has been used to simulate the optical properties of the device. The device design is based on a simple 1×2 Y-branch coupler which enables light signal to be split equally at 3 dB. The simulation results shows that insertion losses are 3.08 dB and 2.93 dB. The experimental results shows insertion losses of 8.2 dB and 9.75 dB with an excess loss of 5.89 dB.