Abstract

Monolithic, waveguide-based photonic integration offers the potential for enhancing functionality with on-chip optical signal processing and eliminating package complexity by reducing part count. A major drawback to integrated optics has been large device size, typically millimeters or more for directional couplers with their input/output branching guides, which is incompatible with the high cost of III-V materials. This paper describes ultra-compact (<1mm) directional couplers and their integration with photodetectors, for application to balanced, polarization-diversity coherent reception at wavelength of λ=1.5µm.

© 1992 Optical Society of America