Open AccessBroadband polarization-insensitive optical switch on silicon-on-insulator platform
Author(s) -
Huizhan Yang,
Yunxin Kuan,
Tuowen Xiang,
Yuntao Zhu,
Xinlun Cai,
Liu Liu
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.26.014340
Subject(s) - extinction ratio , optics , silicon on insulator , polarization (electrochemistry) , optical switch , broadband , materials science , interferometry , optoelectronics , silicon photonics , power dividers and directional couplers , silicon , photonics , transverse plane , insertion loss , physics , wavelength , chemistry , structural engineering , engineering
A novel configuration for realizing a polarization-insensitive optical switch on silicon-on-insulator of 340nm-thick top-silicon layer is demonstrated, using submicron sized waveguides. The device is based on the Mach-Zehnder interferometer structure. By carefully designing the 3dB couplers and the delay-line waveguides in the device, it is possible to achieve a similar switching behavior for all polarizations. Theoretical analyses indicate that extinction ratios of better than -25dB and insertion losses of better than -0.6dB can be obtained simultaneously for transverse-electric and transverse magnetic polarized modes in the whole C-band. Experimental results also confirm the polarization-insensitive property of the proposed optical switch. Extinction ratios of about -15dB are measured for both polarizations.