Birefringence compensated integrated optical switching or modulation device

A planar waveguide Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZ) has improved performance as a variable optical attenuator as well as a thermo-optic switch (TOS) with reduced polarization dependent loss (PDL) in high attenuation states. The PDL was reduced by correcting for the increased birefringence that occur...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser:	LIDDLE CRAIG D, MISSEY MARK, FONDEUR BARTHELEMY, PEZESHKI BARDIA, SALA ANCA L
Format:	Patent
Sprache:	eng
Schlagworte:	DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS, THE OPTICAL OPERATION OF WHICH ISMODIFIED BY CHANGING THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIUM OF THEDEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE INTENSITY,COLOUR, PHASE, POLARISATION OR DIRECTION OF LIGHT, e.g.SWITCHING, GATING, MODULATING OR DEMODULATING FREQUENCY-CHANGING NON-LINEAR OPTICS OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS OPTICS PHYSICS TECHNIQUES OR PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:	A planar waveguide Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZ) has improved performance as a variable optical attenuator as well as a thermo-optic switch (TOS) with reduced polarization dependent loss (PDL) in high attenuation states. The PDL was reduced by correcting for the increased birefringence that occurs on heating one waveguide arm by making the two waveguides inherently asymmetric, such that when one of the waveguides is heated, the differential birefringence of the two arms becomes zero. This asymmetry can be realized simply by changing the width of one of the waveguides. The modified device allows for very small PDL in the high attenuation state of a VOA and for theoretically perfect contrast in a TOS in the off state, with only a small penalty in PDL of the on state.