Abstract

Silica waveguides continue to be the dominant focus of planar lightwave circuits for telecommunication applications due to the high quality of the optical waveguides and well-established fabrication processes. There is increased interest in adding functionality to these planar waveguide circuits, including variable optical attenuators (VOAs), and optical switches. To date, thermooptic effects have proven to be very useful in enabling such functions in silica planar waveguide circuits. Unfortunately, power consumption increases along with operating speed with thermooptics. This usually results in added heat dissipation, thermal crosstalk, and stress-induced birefringence. Compensation techniques are complex, costly and not conductive to further functional integration.

© 2003 Optical Society of America