Patent ID: 6274288
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: B82Y,G02B,G03F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method, comprising:selecting a polymer material exhibiting a nonlinear optical response upon application of a radiation beam thereto;applying the radiation beam to the material to change an index of refraction due to the nonlinear optical response in a path of said radiation beam in the material to form a radiation-guiding channel in the path with an index of refraction higher than a unexposed portion in the material;controlling an intensity and an exposure time of said radiation beam to produce a self-focusing effect in the material which reduces beam spreading caused by diffraction;directing a plurality of other radiation beams into the material to form a plurality of radiation-guiding channels based on said self-focusing effect, said radiation-guiding channels being separate from one another and said radiation-guiding channel; andforming corrugated periodic features on each radiation-guiding channel with one or more different spatial periods to encode data in each radiation-guiding channel.