Polymer Insertion Silica Optical Waveguide Switch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Silica optical waveguides have a positive thermo-optic coefficient and low thermo-optic coefficient, making it difficult to achieve a total reflection phenomenon, which is essential for manufacturing a total reflection type optical switch with effective switching characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A total reflection type optical switch is designed by inserting a polymer with a negative thermo-optic coefficient into the intersection of silica optical waveguides, where a heater or electric field is used to change the refractive index, allowing for switching and attenuation of optical signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a heater is used to heat silica optical waveguides to change refraction indexes, then temperature changes occur, but the positive thermo-optic coefficient of silica prevents total reflection phenomenon
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines silica optical waveguides with polymer materials having negative thermo-optic coefficients. The polymer is inserted into the silica waveguide structure to create a composite material system that exhibits total reflection characteristics, overcoming the limitation of pure silica's positive thermo-optic coefficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter (thermo-optic coefficient) by introducing polymer materials with negative thermo-optic coefficients into the silica waveguide structure. This parameter change enables the total reflection phenomenon to occur when heated, resolving the contradiction between achieving total reflection and the inherent properties of silica.
2Reliability
If polymer materials with negative thermo-optic coefficients are used to achieve total reflection, then excellent total reflection characteristics are obtained, but device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the optical waveguide into different functional segments: silica waveguide sections for light transmission and polymer-inserted sections for total reflection switching. This segmentation allows each material to perform its optimal function while maintaining overall device functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer material acts as an intermediary element inserted into the silica waveguide structure. It mediates between the silica waveguide and the heating mechanism, enabling total reflection through its negative thermo-optic coefficient while maintaining compatibility with the existing silica waveguide system.
3Loss of energy
If silica optical waveguides are used for excellent loss characteristics, then low optical loss is achieved, but the low thermo-optic coefficient makes total reflection switching almost impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by inserting polymer materials with high thermo-optic coefficients only at specific locations where switching is needed, while maintaining silica waveguides in other regions for low loss transmission. This localized modification enables switching capability without compromising the overall low loss characteristics of the silica waveguide system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables excellent total reflection characteristics, miniaturization, low power consumption, and high-speed operation, making it suitable for various optical devices such as planar lightwave circuits and optical attenuators.
Implementation Method 1
the switching member has a thermo-optic polymer which transilluminates the optical signal when it is not heated by the heater whereas which totally reflects the optical signal as the refraction index falls when heated by the heater
Implementation Method 2
a heater which heats the switching member
Implementation Method 3
switches so as to change the optical route of an optical signal input into the silica optical waveguides
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a total reflection type optical switch using polymer insertion type silica optical waveguides and a manufacturing method thereof. The total reflection type optical switch forms a trench in an intersecting point of the silica optical waveguides having two optic routes, and inserts a polymer into the trench. A total reflection type optical switch has a heater which heats the polymer. The polymer is made of thermo-optic material, and totally reflects an optical signal as a refraction index falls when heated by the heater. In addition, when not heated by the heater, the polymer transilluminates the optical signal. When the polymer is made of electric-optic material, the total reflection type optical switch may have upper and lower electrodes for applying an electric field in the polymer instead of the heater. In this case, the total reflection type optical switch is capable of high speed switching, and is not limited to usages of an optical switch, and may be used as a variable optical attenuator by adjusting the voltage and current being applied. According to the present invention, it is possible to use the difference of the refraction indexes of the silica optical waveguides and the polymer due to temperature changes to transilluminate or totally reflect an optical signal according to changes of the refraction index of the polymer, thereby improving loss characteristics of the optical signal.