Fabrication of stable, low optical loss rib-waveguides via embossing of sputtered chalcogenide glass-film on glass-chip

We report low-loss, single-mode rib optical waveguides on-chip, fabricated using hot-embossing for the first time of radio-frequency sputtered $$\hbox {As}_{2}\hbox {Se}_{3}$$ chalcogenide-glass thin films on a chalcogenide-glass substrate. Waveguides 4–6 $$\upmu \hbox {m}$$ wide and $$1.9 \pm 0.1~\upmu \hbox {m}$$ high are fabricated. Waveguide optical loss, using the Fabry–Perot technique, which is known to over-estimate loss, is found to be $$<$$ 0.78 $$\hbox { dB cm}^{-1}$$ for the TE mode, and $$<$$ 0.81 $$\hbox {dB cm}^{-1}$$ for the TM mode, at 1,550 nm wavelength. Glass stability of the chalcogenide rib waveguides is excellent and is discussed in relation to the results of others.