Silica-based 8×8 optical matrix switch integrating new switching units with large fabrication tolerance

Author

Okuno, Masayuki ; Kato, Kuniharu ; Nagase, Ryo ; Himeno, Akira ; Ohmori, Yasuji ; Kawachi, Masao

Author_Institution

NTT Opto-Electron. Labs., Ibaraki, Japan

Volume

17

Issue

5

fYear

1999

fDate

5/1/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

771

Lastpage

781

Abstract

An 8×8 optical matrix switch consisting of asymmetric Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer switching units with a waveguide intersection was fabricated using silica-based planar lightwave circuits (PLC´s) on a silicon substrate. This switching unit can realize a high extinction ratio and a wide operation wavelength range even if the coupling ratios of the directional couplers (DC´s) consisting the switching unit, deviate greatly from the ideal value of 50%. A matrix switch with a DC-coupling ratio of 30% was fabricated to test the validity of the proposed geometry. The average insertion loss was 7.3 dB in the transverse electric (TE) mode and 7.5 dB in the transverse magnetic (TM) mode. The average extinction ratio was 31.2 dB in the TE mode and 31.3 dB in the TM mode. The wavelength range with an extinction ratio greater than 20 dB was over 100 nm

Keywords

integrated optics; integrated optoelectronics; optical communication equipment; optical fabrication; optical losses; optical switches; silicon compounds; wavelength division multiplexing; 7.3 dB; 7.5 dB; 8×8 optical matrix switch; DC-coupling ratio; TE mode; TM mode; asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer switching units; average insertion loss; coupling ratios; extinction ratio; high extinction ratio; large fabrication tolerance; optical directional couplers; silica-based 8×8 optical matrix switch; silicon substrate; switching unit; switching units; waveguide intersection; wavelength range; wide operation wavelength range; Extinction ratio; Integrated optics; Optical interferometry; Optical planar waveguides; Optical switches; Optical waveguides; Planar waveguides; Switching circuits; Tellurium; Transmission line matrix methods;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.762891

Filename

762891