TOTAL REFLECTION TYPE OPTICAL SWITCH USING POLYMER INSERTION TYPE SILICA OPTICAL WAVEGUIDE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

摘要

The present invention relates to a total reflection type optical switch using a polymer insertion type silica optical waveguide and a manufacturing method thereof. The total reflection type optical switch includes a trench formed at an intersection of the silica optical waveguide having two optical paths and a polymer inserted into the trench. The total reflection type optical switch includes a heater for heating the polymer. The polymer is formed with a thermo-optic material, which reduces the refractive index and totally reflects an optical signal when being heated by the heater. In addition, an optical signal penetrates the polymer when the polymer is not heated by the heater. When the polymer is formed with an electro-optic material, the total reflection type optical switch can include upper and lower electrodes instead of the heater so as to apply the electric field to the polymer. In this case, the total reflection type optical switch enables high-speed switching and can be used as a variable optical attenuator by adjusting the applied voltage and current irrespective of the uses of the optical switch. The present invention can improve loss characteristics of the optical signal by transmitting or totally reflecting the optical signal according to changes in the refractive index of the polymer using the refractive index difference between the silica optical waveguide and the polymer according to temperature changes.