Waveguide-detector couplers for integrated optics and monolithic optoelectronic switching arrays.

An integrated waveguide-detector coupler (IWDC), in which a controlled fraction of the optical power in a waveguide is selectively coupled to a detector element, has been investigated. The device structure consists of a rib waveguide formed from a sputtered Corning 7059 glass film on an oxidized silicon substrate. A photoconductive detector is fabricated on the same substrate, and the degree of coupling is controlled by tapering the SiO(2) cladding layer thickness in the region between the electrodes and by varying the interaction length. Couplers with cladding layer thicknesses ranging from 0.15 to 0.80 microm in the detector interaction region were measured to have coupling values from 400 to 1500 dB/cm for TE modes and to 5800 dB/cm for TM modes, in good agreement with theory. The first integrated optoelectronic 2 x 2 switching matrix using IWDCs as switching cross-points has been demonstrated. We have shown that the passive power splitting in the integrated switch is nearly the ideal 50%.

[1]  Hiroshi Hirai,et al.  Analysis of single-mode optical Y-junction by the bounded step and bend approximation , 1988 .

[2]  Marko Erman,et al.  Monolithic integration of a GaInAs p-i-n photodiode and an optical waveguide: modeling and realization using chloride vapor phase epitaxy , 1988 .

[3]  G. Rozgonyi,et al.  Tapered Windows in SiO2: The Effect of NH 4 F : HF Dilution and Etching Temperature , 1977 .

[4]  Low-Loss Ti: LiNbO/sub 3/ Waveguide Bends at Lambda = 1.3 µm , 1982 .

[5]  E. Garmire,et al.  Depolarization in channel glass waveguides , 1986 .

[6]  D. Hall,et al.  An introduction to optical waveguides , 1982, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[7]  Stephen R. Forrest,et al.  A simple 8*8 optoelectronic crossbar switch , 1989 .

[8]  David E. Zelmon,et al.  Properties of four-layer planar optical waveguides near cutoff , 1987 .

[9]  Dietrich Marcuse,et al.  Tilt, offset, and end-separation loss of lowest-order slab waveguide mode , 1986 .

[10]  M. Toyoshima,et al.  Design and performance of an optoelectronic matrix switch using Si-p-i-n photodiodes , 1988 .

[11]  R. Spanke,et al.  Architectures for large nonblocking optical space switches , 1986 .

[12]  H. Matsumura,et al.  Switching characteristics of GaAs directional coupler optical switches. , 1986, Applied optics.

[13]  Donald R. Scifres,et al.  Substrate radiation losses in GaAs heterostructure lasers , 1976 .

[14]  D. Marcuse,et al.  Bending losses of the asymmetric slab waveguide , 1971 .

[15]  A Yariv,et al.  Parallel end-butt coupling for optical integrated circuits. , 1977, Applied optics.

[16]  R. I. MacDonald,et al.  Optoelectronic broadband switching array , 1978 .

[17]  Peter Dayan,et al.  Semiconductor Waveguides: Analysis Of Coupling Between Rib Waveguides And Optical Fibres , 1985, Other Conferences.

[18]  M Miyagi,et al.  Bent asymmetric dielectric slab waveguides: a detailed analysis. , 1981, Applied optics.

[20]  R. I. MacDonald,et al.  Optoelectronic Switch Matrices: Recent Developments , 1985 .

[21]  Ruby I. MacDonald,et al.  Monolithic array of optoelectronic broad-band switches , 1984 .

[22]  Lars Thylén,et al.  Strictly nonblocking 8×8 integrated optical switch matrix , 1986 .

[23]  C. Yeh,et al.  Leaky waves in a heteroepitaxial film , 1973 .