Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics (한국광학회지)

Optical Society of Korea (한국광학회)
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Design of Variable Optical Attenuators Incorporating Large Core Polymer Waveguides

대형 코어 폴리머 광도파로를 이용한 가변 광감쇠기 설계

  • Cho, Su-Hong (Department of Electronics Engineering, Pusan National University) ;
  • Oh, Min-Choel (Department of Electronics Engineering, Pusan National University)
  • 조수홍 (부산대학교 전자공학과 나노바이오광소자연구실) ;
  • 오민철 (부산대학교 전자공학과 나노바이오광소자연구실)
  • Published : 2005.06.01
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Abstract

By incorporating large core polymer waveguides, which have been developed for increased alignment tolerance in passive fiber attachment, highly efficient variable optical attenuators are proposed. In order to find optimum device structures, 3-dimensional beam propagation method (BPM) simulations are performed. Heat distribution over the polymer film is calculated to find the 3-dimensional index profile data for the BPM simulation. Due to the small index contrast between the core and cladding materials in the large core waveguide, heat-induced radiation occurs for small heating power. While the ordinary VOA needs the temperature to change over $150^{\circ}C$ for 20 dB attenuation, the large core VOA requires only $70^{\circ}C$. In addition to the merit of passive fiber attachment, the proposed VOA has enhanced attenuation efficiency for the lower temperature change.

높은 재현성과 함께 효율적인 수동 정렬을 위하여 제안된 대형코어 단일모드 폴리머 광도파로를 이용하여 제작 가능한 폴리머 광도파로 소자인 가변 광감쇠기를 제안하고 삼차원 빔전파 방법을 이용하여 소자의 동작 특성을 파악하고 최적 구조를 설계하였다. 소자의 표면에 집적된 박막 전극 히터에서 발생하는 열로 인해 폴리머 광도파로에서 발생하는 굴절률 분포 변화를 수치해석적으로 구하였으며 이 결과를 이용하여 삼차원 빔전파 해석을 수행하였다. 대형코어 광도파로가 가지는 작은 굴절률 대비로 인해 효과적인 광감쇠 현상을 작은 온도 변화로부터 얻을 수 있음을 확인하였다. 일반 광도파로 VOA에서 섭씨 150도 이상의 온도 변화가 필요한 반면 대형 코아 광도파로 VOA는 섭씨 70도 정도의 온도 변화 만으로도 20 dB 이상의 감쇠를 얻을 수 있었다. 대형코아 광도파로가 가지는 장점인 높은 정렬오차 허용범위와 더불어 낮은 구동전압으로 동작하는 장점을 함께 가지는 가변 광감쇠기 설계를 완성하였다.

Keywords

References

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