• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.266-271
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• 2009

We designed a thermo-optic switch based on a directional coupler with not only a high extinction ratio but also significantly low power consumption. The switch operates by using the thermo-optic effect of the polymer which the refractive index changes by heating the electrode. If the electrode is not powered (OFF), the input light will be coupled completely to the other waveguide. When the electrode is powered at a certain level (ON), input light launched into the input waveguide will remain in that waveguide due to the lower index adjusted in the other waveguide. The switch based on the directional coupler was designed using the generalized extinction ratio curve and the lateral shift of the input waveguide. The coupling length is 1,610 ${\mu}m$ and the extinction ratios are -28 and -30 dB for ON and OFF states, respectively. The electrode structures were optimized by thermal analysis. The transported heat into the waveguide is increased, as the electrode width (w) is increased and the center distance between the electrode and the waveguide (d) is decreased. Also, because the heat generated in the electrode affects the other waveguide, the temperature difference between two waveguides is varied as the given w and d. There are specific conditions which have the maximum of the temperature difference. That of the temperature difference is increased as the width and the temperature of the electrode are increased. Especially, when the switch is designed using the condition with the maximum of the temperature difference for switching, the temperature of the electrode can be decreased. We expect this condition will be the novel method for the reduction of the power consumption in a thermo-optic switch.