Optical Waveguides

Dielectric films, strips and ribs on transparent substrates serve as wave-guides in planar optics. Made of materials suitable for integration of lines and components into microscopic circuits they are preferably monomode and have less than 1 dB/cm loss. Cladded core and gradient glass fibres transmit optical signals over wide distances with low loss and distortion. High silica content fibres have as little as 1 dB/km loss and broaden laser pulses by less than 1 ns/km.