Fabrication of optical 1x2 POF couplers using the laser-LIGA technique

Plastic optical fibres (POF) continuously gained its importance during the last decade, since they are widely used in automotive applications for optical data communications (for e.g. MOST). The application of POF for in-flight-entertainment (IFE) optical networks in civil aircraft cabin areas is currently under investigation. Since it is expected that the optical networks will develop from a point-to-point network architecture to more complicated structures there will be a need for optical couplers distributing the signals to different suppliers. Typical applications would be for e.g. the distribution of optical data to IFE implemented within single seats of a seat row of an airplane. Within this work the fabrication of an optical 1x2 POF coupler by the Laser-LIGA technique is demonstrated. The Laser-LIGA technique compared to standard X-ray lithography is simpler and more cost effective. Moreover, the Laser ablation technique also allows rapid prototyping of the same structures. The POF couplers fabricated by this technology show insertion loss values down to about 5.6 dB, depending on the waveguide core material and exhibit good uniformity values in the order of 0.1 dB.