Polarization-independent silica-on-silicon Mach-Zehnder interferometers

Author

Yaffe, Henry H. ; Henry, Charles H. ; Kazarinov, Rudolf F. ; Milbrodt, Michele A.

Author_Institution

AT&T Bell Labs., Murray Hill, NJ, USA

Volume

12

Issue

1

fYear

1994

fDate

1/1/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

64

Lastpage

67

Abstract

The birefringence induced by compressive strain in silica waveguides on silicon substrates is compensated with a silicon nitride patch placed below the core. We demonstrate Mach-Zehnder interferometers with polarization-independent spectral response, including a compensated Mach-Zehnder interferometer suitable for stabilization of multiple laser sources in a dense wavelength division multiplexed fiber optic communication network. Furthermore, we show how silicon nitride can also be used to compensate polarization dependent losses. Polarization independence achieved with a silicon nitride patch is applicable to a wide variety of other devices such as arrayed waveguide grating multiplexers and Bragg reflectors

Keywords

birefringence; integrated optics; light interferometers; light interferometry; light polarisation; multiplexing equipment; optical communication equipment; optical waveguide theory; silicon compounds; wavelength division multiplexing; Bragg reflectors; Mach-Zehnder interferometers; Si substrate; Si₃N₄ patch; SiO₂ waveguides; WDM; arrayed waveguide grating multiplexers; birefringence; compressive strain; dense wavelength division multiplexed fiber optic communication network; laser frequency stabilisation; multiple laser sources; polarization dependent loss compensation; polarization-independent; polarization-independent spectral response; silica waveguides; silica-on-silicon; Arrayed waveguide gratings; Birefringence; Capacitive sensors; Fiber lasers; Laser stability; Optical fiber polarization; Optical waveguides; Silicon compounds; Waveguide lasers; Wavelength division multiplexing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.265737

Filename

265737