Molded waveguides

Abstract

Chemically or biochemically active agents or other species are patterned on a substrate surface by providing a micromold having a contoured surface and forming, on a substrate surface, a chemically or biochemically active agent or fluid precursor of a structure. A chemically or biochemically active agent or fluid precursor also can be transferred from indentations in an applicator to a substrate surface. The substrate surface can be planar or non-planar. Fluid precursors of polymeric structures, inorganic ceramics and salts, and the like can be used to form patterned polymeric articles, inorganic salts and ceramics, reactive ion etch masks, etc. at the surface. The articles can be formed in a pattern including a portion having a lateral dimension of less than about 1 millimeter or smaller. The indentation pattern of the applicator can be used to transfer separate, distinct chemically or biochemically active agents or fluid precursors to separate, isolated regions of a substrate surface. Waveguide arrays, combinatorial chemical or biochemical libraris, etc. can be made. Differences in refractive index of waveguide and cladding can be created by subjecting the waveguide and cladding, made of indentical prepolymeric material, to different polymerization or cross-linking conditions. Interferometers are defined by coupling arrays of waveguides, where coupling can be controlled by altering the difference in refractive index between cladding and waveguide at any desired location of the array. Alteration and refractive index can be created photochemically, chemically, or the like. Sensors also are disclosed, including biochemical sensors.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method comprising: 
 forming at least one waveguide, and a cladding contacting the waveguide, each from a common prepolymer, the waveguide and cladding having a refractive index difference.    
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , involving exposing a portion of the common prepolymer to a first amount of polymerizing energy to form the at least one waveguide and exposing a second amount of a common prepolymer to a second amount of polymerizing energy to form the cladding.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 2 , wherein the polymerizing energy is electromagnetic radiation.  
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , comprising: 
 curing an array of at least two essentially parallel lines of a fluid prepolymer to a first extent to form at least two essentially parallel lines of polymeric material cured to a first extent;    contacting the at least two lines of cured polymeric material with a portion of the fluid prepolymer and curing the portion to a second extent to form a portion of the polymeric material cured to the second extent contacting the lines of polymeric material cured to the first extent.    
     
     
         5 . A method comprising: 
 forming a waveguide and cladding; and    altering a refractive index ratio between a waveguide and cladding.    
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 5 , the waveguide and cladding each being formed of a polymeric material.  
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 5 , the waveguide and cladding each defining a polymeric material formed from a common prepolymeric material.  
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 5 , the altering step involving curing the waveguide and cladding, together, after formation.  
     
     
         9 . A method comprising: 
 simultaneously deforming at least two guided, propagating electromagnetic waves.    
     
     
         10 . A method comprising: 
 introducing electromagnetic radiation into a first waveguide, allowing the electromagnetic radiation to couple from the first waveguide into a second waveguide, and allowing the electromagnetic radiation to couple from the second waveguide into a third waveguide.    
     
     
         11 . A method comprising: 
 forming a waveguide array of at least two waveguides having a coupling characteristic between them;    guiding electromagnetic radiation using the waveguide array by introducing the electromagnetic radiation into the array and causing the radiation to be essentially totally internally reflected within pathways of the array; and    altering the coupling characteristic of a section of the array including at least a portion of each waveguide to alter the coupling characteristic of the waveguides relative to each other.