Title :
Mode expanded optical switch in resonant vertically coupled waveguides
Author :
Saini, S.S. ; Heim, P.J.S. ; Bartolo, R.E. ; Johnson, F.G. ; Stone, D. ; Shen, H. ; Pamulapati, J. ; Zhou, W. ; Dagenais, M.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Maryland Univ., College Park, MD, USA
Abstract :
We propose and demonstrate a novel expanded mode voltage controlled optical switch based on electrorefraction and electroabsorption in resonantly coupled tapered vertical waveguides. The device was grown in a single standard epitaxial growth and was processed using conventional fabrication techniques. A 200-μm-long mode transformation region was used for expanding the mode and optical switching. Greater than 20-dB switching contrast ratio was obtained with a reverse bias of less than 1 V. Reduced far-field divergence angles (8/spl deg/×24/spl deg/) were also achieved. With good contrast ratio at low voltage bias and an inherent expanded mode, this device shows promise for low-cost optoelectronic switching applications.
Keywords :
electro-optical switches; electroabsorption; molecular beam epitaxial growth; optical fabrication; optical waveguides; semiconductor growth; semiconductor quantum wells; 1 V; 200 mum; B switching contrast ratio; conventional fabrication techniques; electroabsorption; electrorefraction; expanded mode voltage controlled optical switch; far-field divergence angles; good contrast ratio; inherent expanded mode; low voltage bias; low-cost optoelectronic switching applications; mode expanded optical switch; mode transformation region; optical switching; resonant vertically coupled waveguides; resonantly coupled tapered vertical waveguides; reverse bias; single standard epitaxial growth; Chirp modulation; Fiber lasers; Laser modes; Optical coupling; Optical refraction; Optical switches; Optical transmitters; Optical variables control; Optical waveguides; Resonance;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
