High-extinction ratio and low-loss silica-based 8×8 strictly nonblocking thermooptic matrix switch

Author

Goh, Takashi ; Himeno, Akira ; Okuno, Masayuki ; Takahashi, Hiroshi ; Hattori, IKuninori

Author_Institution

NTT Photonics Labs., Ibaraki, Japan

Volume

17

Issue

7

fYear

1999

fDate

7/1/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1192

Lastpage

1199

Abstract

This paper describes a silica-based 8×8 strictly nonblocking thermooptic matrix switch with a high-extinction ratio and low loss. We realized this matrix switch by using a configuration which combines a double Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) switching unit and an N×N matrix arrangement thus reducing the total waveguide length. The 8×8 matrix switch was fabricated on a 4-in wafer using planar lightwave circuit technology. We obtained an average extinction ratio of 60.3 dB and an average insertion loss of 5.1 dB. The operating wavelength bandwidth completely covers the gain band of practical erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs)

Keywords

Mach-Zehnder interferometers; electro-optical switches; integrated optics; integrated optoelectronics; optical communication equipment; optical fabrication; optical losses; silicon compounds; thermo-optical effects; 5.1 dB; 8×8 matrix switch; EDFA; N×N matrix arrangement; average extinction ratio; average insertion loss; configuration; double Mach-Zehnder interferometer switching unit; erbium-doped fiber amplifiers; gain band; high-extinction ratio; low-loss silica-based 8×8 strictly nonblocking thermooptic matrix switch; operating wavelength bandwidth; planar lightwave circuit technology; total waveguide length; Communication switching; Extinction ratio; Insertion loss; Optical crosstalk; Optical interferometry; Optical planar waveguides; Optical switches; Optical waveguides; Planar waveguides; Transmission line matrix methods;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Lightwave Technology, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0733-8724

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/50.774253

Filename

774253