Patent ID: 7298935

Claim:
A method of fabricating an optical waveguide polarization beam splitter, wherein said beam splitter incorporates a wire-grid array in said waveguide for facilitating the transmission or reflection of light propagated within said waveguide in dependence upon incident polarization of the propagated light: a) depositing a dielectric waveguide substrate layer onto a base layer; b) applying a light guiding film of a dielectric material onto the exposed surface of said waveguide substrate; c) providing a diblock copolymer template having an array of pores formed therethrough; d) masking off pores to provide a single line of said template pores; e) etching at least one trench downwardly through said guiding film to said waveguide substrate surface; f) depositing metal wire material into said line of pores formed in said diblock polymer template material; g) stripping said diblock copolymer material while permitting metal wire to remain embedded in said waveguide guiding film; h) etching off excess metal wire material down to the exposed surface of said waveguide guiding film; and i) depositing a cover layer of a dielectric material onto said waveguide guiding film.