Accurate interchannel pitch control in graded-index circular-core polymer parallel optical waveguide using the Mosquito method.

We successfully fabricate polymer optical waveguides with graded-index (GI) circular cores whose diameter and interchannel pitch are accurately controlled using the Mosquito method: GI-core waveguides with 250-, 125- and 62.5-µm pitches are successfully obtained. The Mosquito method utilizing a microdispenser is a very simple technique for fabricating GI-circular-core polymer optical waveguides. The accurately controlled pitch is confirmed by a high connectivity with a commercially available multimode fiber (MMF) ribbon with a 125-µm pitch. Furthermore, by inserting the waveguide between two 12-channel MMF ribbons, we experimentally demonstrate 11.3 Gbps × 12 Ch. parallel signal transmission through a GI-core waveguide with a 125-µm pitch for the first time to the best of our knowledge.