Planar and strip optical waveguides by sol-gel method and laser densification

Multilayer SiO 2-TiO 2 coatings were deposited on soda-lime and silica glass slides. The coatings on silica substrates were deposited using differently prepared solutions and were heat treated at different temperatures. The waveguides thus produced were characterized and the effects of the chemical preparation procedure and thermal treatment were evidenced. Strip optical waveguides were also fabricated by a laser densification and chemical etching technique.