Patent ID: 7244369

Claim:
A process for fabricating active and passive polymer-based components for use in integrated optics according to a principle based on one of a gas-phase diffusion and a liquid-phase diffusion, comprising the steps of: depositing onto an optoelectronic component at least one patternable polymer resist layer that is highly sensitive and that effects an intense polymerization when exposed; producing an etching mask by exposing defined regions of the at least one patternable polymer resist layer corresponding to a later component; transferring a geometry of the etching mask through a high-grade anisotropic deep etching into unprotected regions of the at least one patternable polymer resist layer located underneath the etching mask, wherein an etching agent is used that avoids attacking a silicon oxide of the etching mask, such that exposed regions of the at least one patternable polymer resist layer are ablated in a vertical direction, and side surfaces of regions protected by the etching mask are uncovered; and filling unexposed regions of the at least one patternable resist layer with organometallic compounds arranged in a monomer form, the organometallic compounds being suitable for filling an already existing pattern of the at least one patternable polymer resist layer and for breaking up and repatterning the already existing pattern, wherein an optical property of the optoelectronic component is selectively changeable as a function of a type of the monomeric organometallic compounds and as a function of a temperature and an application time, the filling of the unexposed regions of the at least one patternable resist layer occurring, through one of the gas-phase diffusion and the liquid-phase diffusion and with an application of heat, from a surface of the unexposed regions through the etching mask, and occurring from the side surfaces uncovered by the deep etching, so that at least one of the active and the passive polymer-based components for use in integrated optics is fabricated.