Patent · US Expired

Optical waveguide intensity modulator using electro-optic polymer

US5555326A · kind A · utility

30Cited by
6References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 19, 1994
Grant dateSep 10, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 19, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B2006/12116
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An optical waveguide intensity modulator of a polymer waveguide utilizes and electro-optic effect and optical birefringence induced from a poling process of a nonlinear polymer thin-film. The optical waveguide intensity modulator is constructed by a series combination of a TE/TM mode selector, a TE or TM mode converter and another TE or TM mode selector. In the polymer waveguide, the mode selectors and mode converter can be easily obtained by making the direction of a poling field to be horizontal (or vertical) and approximately 45.degree. direction. According to the present invention, the optical waveguide intensity modulator is formed by integrating the TE or TM mode selectors and the TE or TM mode converter onto a single substrate. Further, because no element, is required which results in optical loses for example an optical isolator, an optical coupler or a curved portion of the waveguide, the efficiency of the device can be improved.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.