| 摘要 |
Methods of attenuating, delaying the phase, and otherwise controlling an optical signal propagating along a waveguide are provided. According to one method, a variable optical attenuator structure is provided comprising a waveguide core (10), a cladding (20), an electrooptic polymer (30), and a se t of control electrodes (40). The core (10), the cladding (20), and the electrooptic polymer (30) are configured such that an increase in the index of refraction of the polymer (30) causes a substantial portion of an optical signal propagating along the waveguide core (10) to couple into a relatively high index region (32) of the electrooptic polymer (30) above the waveguide core (10), so as to inhibit return of the coupled signal to the waveguide co re (10). Another embodiment of the present invention introduces a phase delay i n the coupled optical signal and permits return of the coupled signal to the waveguide core (10). An additional embodiment contemplates the use of a ridg e waveguide structure to enable control of the optical signal.
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