Imprinted multi-level optical circuit structure method
A method of making an imprinted optical micro-channel structure for transmitting light to an optical receiver or receiving light from an optical transmitter includes forming a curable optical layer over a substrate and imprinting one or more optical micro-channels in the optical layer with a first stamp. The curable optical layer is cured to form a cured optical layer having the optical micro-channels imprinted in the cured optical layer. A curable light-transparent material is located in the optical micro-channels and cured to form light-pipes of cured light-transparent material in the optical micro-channels. The optical transmitter located in alignment with a light-pipe for transmitting light through the light-pipe or the optical receiver is located in alignment with a light-pipe for receiving light from the light-pipe.
1. A method of making an imprinted optical micro-channel structure for transmitting light to an optical receiver or receiving light from an optical transmitter, comprising:
forming a curable optical layer over a substrate and imprinting one or more optical micro-channels in the curable optical layer with a first stamp;
curing the curable optical layer to form a cured optical layer having the optical micro-channels imprinted in the cured optical layer, the cured optical layer having an optical index;
locating a curable light-transparent material in the optical micro-channels and curing the curable light-transparent material to form light-pipes of cured light-transparent material in the optical micro-channels, the cured light-transparent material in the light-pipe having an optical index greater than the optical index of the cured optical layer; and
locating the optical transmitter in alignment with a light-pipe for transmitting light through the light-pipe or locating the optical receiver in alignment with a light-pipe for receiving light from the light-pipe.
2. The method of claim 1 , further including forming a reflective layer in contact with the cured optical layer.
3. The method of claim 1 , further including forming a reflective layer on walls of the optical micro-channels.
4. The method of claim 1 , further including forming reflective portions of the optical micro-channels that direct light along the length of the optical micro-channels.
5. The method of claim 1 , further including locating a light-absorbing layer between the cured optical layer and the substrate.
6. The method of claim 1 , further including providing one or more integrated circuits having one or more optical transceivers and locating the optical transceivers in alignment with a corresponding one or more light-pipes.
7. The method of claim 1 , further including treating the curable tight-transparent material in the optical micro-channels to reduce the size of the light-transparent material.
8. The method of claim 1 , further including locating a reflective material in the optical micro-channels with the curable light- transparent material or curing the light-transparent material and locating a reflective material in the optical micro-channels with the cured light-transparent material.
9. The method of claim 1 , further including:
forming a curable electrical layer in contact with the cured optical layer;
imprinting electrical micro-channels in the curable electrical layer;
curing the curable electrical layer;
locating a curable electrically conductive material in the electrical micro-channels; and
curing the curable electrically conductive material in the electrical micro-channels to form a micro-wire each of the electrical micro-channels.
10. The method of claim 9 , further including providing one or more integrated circuits having one or more optical transceivers and one or more electrical contacts, and electrically connecting each electrical contact to at least one micro-wire.
11. The method of claim 10 , further including imprinting an impression in the curable optical layer or in the curable electrical layer and positioning the integrated circuit in the impression.
12. The method of claim 9 , further including locating a cured electrical layer between the cured optical layer and the substrate.
13. The method of claim 9 , further including locating the cured optical layer between a cured electrical layer and the substrate.
14. The method of claim 9 , further including locating at least one micro-wire to reflect light transmitted by an optical transceiver.
15. The method of claim 14 , further including locating the at least one reflective micro-wire along the length of an optical micro-channel of the optical micro-channels.
16. The method of claim 14 , further including locating the at least one reflective micro-wire to reflect light from the optical transceiver to the optical micro-channels.