VERTICAL ELECTRO-OPTICALLY COUPLED SWITCH

摘要

An electro-optically coupled switch includes first and second waveguides which are aligned in parallel to each other, with a thin, flat layer of cross-coupling material sandwiched therebetween. A voltage source is provided to establish a strong uniform electric field that is oriented perpendicular across the entire layer of cross-coupling material between the waveguides. Incorporated with the voltage source is a switch for changing the electric field, to thereby alter the refractive index of the cross-coupling material for transferring the transmission of an optical signal from one waveguide to the other.

主权项

1. An electro-optically coupled switch which comprises:
a first waveguide having a length L and a width W, wherein the first waveguide has a refractive index n1; a second waveguide having a length L and a width W, wherein the second waveguide is aligned parallel with the first waveguide, and wherein the second waveguide has a refractive index n2 resembling n1 (n1≈n2); a first electrical contact; a second electrical contact, a layer of cross-coupling material positioned between the first waveguide and the second waveguide, and positioned between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact, wherein the first waveguide, the second waveguide, the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact and the cross-coupling material are positioned in a vertical alignment with each other, wherein the layer of cross-coupling material has a depth d and a refractive index nc; a voltage source connected with the first electrical contact and with the second electrical contact for selectively establishing a uniform electric field E, wherein the electric field is confined in the cross-coupling material between the first waveguide and the second waveguide and is oriented perpendicular to the layer of cross-coupling material to create a confined electric field; and a means connected with the voltage source for imposing a voltage to change the refractive index nc.