Polymers with customizable optical and rheological properties for printable single-mode waveguides

Abstract

We report an easy way to tune the optical refractive index and viscosity of an epoxy acrylate-based host-guest system. This allows fast and precise modification of the material system for different applications like hot embossing, inkjet printing or spin coating. In combination with previous results our latest research established a method to achieve high refractive index differences by the use of two different comonomers while retaining the specific viscosity needed for replication and production methods. We used a commercially available UV-curable epoxy acrylate based polymer matrix to investigate the influence of benzyl methacrylate (BMA). This paper will show the first application of the presented material system. The viscosity of the mixtures decreased at 20 °C linearly from 46 Pa·s (0 wt% BMA) to 3.5 mPa·s (100 wt% BMA), whereas the refractive index increased at the same time from 1.550 to 1.569 (@589 nm, 20 °C).