Abstract

We describe postfabrication trimming of coupling in both laterally and vertically coupled polymer microring resonators (MRRs), using photobleaching. For both cases, a tapered directional-coupler-based simple analytical model is developed to simulate the change in coupling due to a bleaching-induced decrease in refractive index. A tightly focused laser beam spot (a few kilowatts per square centimeter) is used to precisely bleach the coupling region alone. Coupling control is achieved for (1) high-Q passive rings by bleaching the vertically coupled chromophore-doped bus waveguide, and for (2) laterally coupled electro-optic ring modulators, by bleaching both the ring and the waveguide in the coupling region. The power coupling ratio (PCR) of an undercoupled high-Q MRR filter is reduced by 0.54 percentage points for the TE mode, causing the MRR finesse to increase from a value of 72 to 108. For a ring modulator, the PCR was increased by 3.5 percentage points for the TM mode, causing a $6\mathrm{dB}$ increase in extinction ratio, to achieve a final value of nearly $25\mathrm{dB}$. Phase/group-delay characterization confirmed that the ring was trimmed toward critical coupling.

© 2009 Optical Society of America

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