Open AccessAnalysis and design of thermo-optical variable optical attenuator using three-waveguide directional couplers based on SOI
Author(s) -
Pengfei Qu,
Weiyou Chen,
Fumin Li,
Caixia Liu,
Wei Dong
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.16.020334
Subject(s) - optical attenuator , silicon on insulator , optics , materials science , power dividers and directional couplers , attenuation , waveguide , refractive index , attenuator (electronics) , wafer , silicon photonics , optoelectronics , wavelength , optical switch , photonic integrated circuit , silicon , optical fiber , photonics , multi mode optical fiber , physics
A thermo-optical variable optical attenuator (VOA), consisting of three cascaded three-waveguide directional couplers, was designed on Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) wafer. Thermo-optical dynamic, static analysis and optical propagation characteristic simulation at the wavelength of 1550 nm were presented. The dynamic attenuation range from 0.14 dB to 50 dB was achieved by a refractive index (RI) variation: 0 to 5.55 x 10(-3), (the corresponding temperature variation: 0 to 30 degrees C). The response time was about 5 micros, which was attributed to Si/Al(2)O(3)/Si structure. The device could be easily used to fabricate multi-channel VOA as the basic unit and integrated in silicon optoelectronic circuits.