All-optical routing and switching for three-dimensional photonic circuitry

The ability to efficiently transmit and rapidly process huge amounts of data has become almost indispensable to our daily lives. It turned out that all-optical networks provide a very promising platform to deal with this task. Within such networks opto-optical switches, where light is directed by li...

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Veröffentlicht in:Scientific reports 2011-09, Vol.1 (1), p.94-94, Article 94
Hauptverfasser: Keil, Robert, Heinrich, Matthias, Dreisow, Felix, Pertsch, Thomas, Tünnermann, Andreas, Nolte, Stefan, Christodoulides, Demetrios N., Szameit, Alexander
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:The ability to efficiently transmit and rapidly process huge amounts of data has become almost indispensable to our daily lives. It turned out that all-optical networks provide a very promising platform to deal with this task. Within such networks opto-optical switches, where light is directed by light, are a crucial building block for an effective operation. In this article, we present an experimental analysis of the routing and switching behaviour of light in two-dimensional evanescently coupled waveguide arrays of Y- and T-junction geometries directly inscribed into fused silica using ultrashort laser pulses. These systems have the fundamental advantage of supporting three-dimensional network topologies, thereby breaking the limitations on complexity associated with planar structures while maintaining a high dirigibility of the light. Our results show how such arrays can be used to control the flow of optical signals within integrated photonic circuits.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep00094