• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.21-26
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• 2002

In the conventional star coupler, a certain amount of loss should be expected because lateral diffraction is used for the power distribution. In this paper, we propose a new design of a low loss star coupler which employs UV-written tapered waveguides and an AWG based on the low loss star couplers, and investigate their various characteristics. The loss of the UV-written star coupler is lower than that of the conventional star coupler, and the AWG device based on the UV-written star couplers shows low loss characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2002

We design a 1$\times$4 optical splitter made of photonic crystal waveguides and analyze the properties of the optical splitter using the finite-difference time-domain method with perfectly-matched-layer absorbing boundaries. The photonic crystal is constructed from cylindrical rods in air on a square lattice. Our simulation results show that there are different transmission properties for four bend geometries and different incident-wave frequencies. The sum of the power transmission of the splitted light is over 93 percent at a certain geometry and frequency, and the incident power splits in the four arms with almost the same ratio.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2002

Simple principles of self-imaging in Multi-Mode Interference (MMI) devices are based on the approximation of propagation constants. The analysis of the basic nature of the self-imaging principle reveals the problems of previous optimization methods, and provides a new scheme to optimize the external variables for the reconciliation of approximation problems by considering two different tendencies of approximation effects. Furthermore, the representative mode method is proposed to make the application easy. This optimization method provides an essential method for stable design and fabrication of MMI devices with improved characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2002

We have calculated the optimum refractive index and normalized thickness of a single layer antireflection coating on the facet of buried channel waveguides as a function of waveguide width for several waveguide depths using the angular spectrum method and field profiles obtained by the effective index method (EIM) and the variational method (VM), respectively, and discussed the results. In the area of large waveguide width, the optimum parameters of a single layer antireflection coating obtained by both methods are almost the same. However, as waveguide width decreases, the parameters obtained by the VM approach those of a single layer antireflection coating between cladding layer and air, while those obtained by the EIM do not approach those, and the difference between the two parameters is large. The tolerance maps of the quasi-TE and quasi-TM modes obtained by the VM for square waveguides are located in almost the same area regardless of refractive index contrast, while those obtained by the free space radiation mode (FSRM) method for refractive index contrast of 10% are located in the different area. Thus, we think that the tolerance maps obtained by the VM are more exact than those obtained by the FSRM method.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2002

Passive polarization mode splitters at λ= 1.55 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ were designed and fabricated based on Ti:x-cut LiNbO$_3$ single-mode optical waveguide and two-mode interference theory. The splitting ratio with waveguide width 8 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$, branching angle 0.55$^{\circ}$ and interfering length 470 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ showed 16.18 dB, 21.25 dB for TE and TM input polarization modes, respectively. Polarization cross-talk of -16.28 dB and -21.28 dB for TE and TM modes was achieved. Total insertion losses of 2.24 dB/cm (TE) and 2.41 dB/cm (TM) were also measured. The devices operated nearly wavelength independently over a range or 30 nm.