Low drive voltage Fabry-Pérot étalon device tunable filters using poled hybrid sol-gel materials

Nonlinear optical chromophore coupled hybrid sol-gel materials have been synthesized and incorporated in Fabry-Pérot étalon devices (ED's) using highly reflective distributed Bragg reflector mirrors. Étalon structures with indium tin oxide electrodes outside the ED cavity have been applied to reduce absorptive loss. Large tunability (∼0.75 nm/V), high finesse (∼235), and wide tunable range (>50 nm) have been obtained. A transmitted light intensity isolation ratio of ∼35 dB at ∼1550 nm has been achieved at a low drive voltage of 10 V. The electro-optic effect and inverse piezoelectric effect are discussed. The results indicate that such hybrid sol-gel ED's are promising candidates for tunable filters in wavelength division multiplexing communication systems.