Flexographic printing of multimode waveguides and optodic bonding of laser diodes for integrated polymer optical sensor systems

Flexible polymer films, equipped with multimode waveguides and integrated optical sources allow for numerous applications in the fields of signal transmission, sensing, and structural health monitoring. We present flexographic printing as a manufacturing process for step index waveguides with typical widths of 150-400 µm and circular segment cross sections. Bare silicon laser diodes are subsequently butt coupled and mounted by optodic bonding and operated in pulsed mode for heat management. We describe the optical characteristics of the assembled system and specify the performance as a basis for future utilization.