We fabricated and demonstrated a beam deflector implemented in an electro-optic polymer planar waveguide. An array of prism- shaped electrodes formed on the top of the waveguide induces selective refractive index change in the core polymer layer, which results in the tilt of the propagation direction of the guided beam. Waveguide beam deflectors have potential applications in the emerging photonics technologies such as optical storage systems, optical phased array antenna, and optical switching. The deflection sensitivity of 28 mrad/kV, and the maximum deflection angle of +/- 8.4 mrad at +/- 300 V were obtained for this first demonstrated device.
In this paper, we demonstrate a thin-film polymeric waveguide beam deflector using a new device concept, an electrode of prism-array pattern on top of a three-layer planar waveguide. The three-layer planar waveguide was composed of UV15 as the top cladding layer, a polyimide as the core layer, and SiO2 as the bottom cladding layer on a silicon substrate. A gold layer was deposited on the top of the waveguide by e-beam deposition and then patterned into a prism-array as the heating electrode by photolithography.
A novel approach for laser beam deflection using the thermal optic prism array in a polymeric planar waveguide is developed. This approach is based on the different thermo- optic properties between polymer and silica, the two optical materials employed for the guided wave beam deflector. A waveguide structure with the core layer composed of inversely positioned polymer and silica triangles forming a polymer/silica prism array has been fabricated. Through electrical heating, a temperature change results in an index difference between the two optical materials and creates an optical prism structure in the polymer/silica planar waveguide. A beam deflection of 5.4 degree was observed under a temperature change of 60 degrees C in the fabricated prism array. The sensitivity of the device is 0.09 degrees/degrees C. A maximal number of resolvable spots of 8 was achieved at a low driving power from the thermo-optic prism array structure. The accuracy of beam deflection approaches 16 micro-radian. The device fabricated has a thickness of 5 microns, a prism aperture width of 600 microns, and a device length of 7 mm. Optimal design to maximize the deflection angle and the number of resolvable spots has been evaluated.
We present an electro-optic switch based on a guide-wave electro-optic beam deflector in conjunction with multiplexed waveguide holograms for wavelength-division-multiplexing applications. The presented switching device functions as a fully transparent wavelength selective cross connect for fiber optic transmission systems. The demonstrated device consists of only one driving electrode and does not require any moving component. It is capable of not only switching an optical beam but also reconfiguring many wavelengths form one fiber to many other fibers.
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