Polymeric optical waveguide switch using the thermooptic effect

An all-polymeric optical waveguide switch which uses total internal reflection from a thermally induced index barrier is discussed. Very large effective index changes Delta N=2*10/sup -2/ were found in the polymeric waveguide. The temperature under the evaporated stripe heater was measured from the change in its resistance. The effective index change due to the temperature increase agrees well with values calculated from the deflection angles. The operation of the switch is, apart from a small waveguide dispersion effect, polarization-insensitive. Switching times of about 10 ms were measured. It should be possible to reduce them to a few milliseconds in optimized thermal designs and with regulated power dissipation in the heater.<>