A one step process for fabricating planar optical waveguides comprises using a
laser to
cut at least two channels in a substantially planar surface of a piece of
dielectric material defining a
waveguide there between. The shape and size of the resulting guide can be adjusting by selecting an appropriate combination of
laser beam spatial profile, of its power and of the
exposure time. A combination of heating and writing lasers can also be used to fabricate waveguides in a
dielectric substrate, wherein the heating
laser heats the substrate with a relatively broad focused spot, the power of the heating laser being controlled to raise the temperature heating the substrate just below the substrate's
threshold temperature at which it begins to absorb electro-magnetic
radiation, the writing laser, which yields a spot size smaller than the heating laser then melts the substrate within the focal spot of the heating laser. Compare to processes from the prior art, a
waveguide fabrication process according to the present invention results in lower cost, faster
processing time and applicability to a wider range of materials. The present process is particularly suited for the
mass production of inexpensive photonic devices.