Beginning an Integrated Optics Laboratory for Teaching and Research

This paper describes an inexpensive ($2000) integrated optics laboratory used for teaching and research. It lists and specifies the basic materials needed to fabricate optical waveguides and make guide measurements. Several methods of fabricating optical waveguides are discussed, and the dipping method using glass substrates and a polystyrene solution is favored. Polystyrene waveguides are used to demonstrate some of the fundamental concepts of guided waves: propagation modes, coupling, and attenuation.