Design and fabrication of a broadband polymer vertically coupled optical switch

This paper presents a detailed design and fabrication of a composite broadband polymer vertically coupled optical switch with a spectral extinction ratio variation less than 1 dB for the cross state and 2.5 dB for the bar state. This switch consists of two pairs of basic three-dimensional (3-D) polymer switches with peak coupling wavelengths located at the two ends of the C-band, respectively. The resultant extinction ratio is shown to be the sum of the individual ratios of the two basic switches that the optical signal propagates through. The rise time and fall time of switching are 1.0 and 1.5 ms, respectively, and the total electric power applied to the electrode heater is about 140 mW. © 2006 IEEE.