US Patent 7058245 Integrated optical circuits

An optoelectronic device having a flexible substrate and an optical interconnect (i.e. waveguide) comprising a sol-gel based material formed on the substrate. The sol-gel based waveguide is capable of being integrated into an all-optical system and provides for greater interconnect distance and lower signal loss. Other sol-gel based optical devices, such as filters, optical source, detectors, sensors, switches and the like, will be implemented in conjunction with the sol-gel based waveguides to provide for an integrated optical system. Methods of formulating the sol-gel based material and methods for fabricating the sol-gel based devices are also provided.