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IEEE Journal of Lightwave Technology
Volume 18 Number 3, March 2000

Table of Contents for this issue

Complete paper in PDF format

High-Speed InGaAlAs-InAlAs MQW Directional Coupler Waveguide Switch Modules Integrated with a Spotsize Converter Having a Lateral Taper, Thin-Film Core, and Ridge

Masaki Kohtoku, Kenji Kawano, Satoshi Sekine, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Naoto Yoshimoto, Member, IEEE Masato Wada, Member, IEEE Toshio Ito, Mitsuaki Yanagibashi, Susumu Kondo, Yoshio Noguchi and Mitsuru Naganuma Member, IEEE

Page 360.

Abstract:

Fully packaged 2 × 2 and 4 × 4 semiconductor optical switch modules are successfully developed by integrating spotsize converters (SSC's) consisting of lateral tapers, thin-film cores, and ridges in InGaAlAs-InAlAs muliple quantum-well (MQW) directional coupler waveguide switches in the 1.55-µm wavelength region. Good reproducibility is obtained for the perfect coupling length of the directional coupler by appropriately designing the ridge width and gap of strip-loaded optical waveguides and by making use of the Cl2 reactive-ion-beam-etching and successive wet-etching. Since the switching time is sufficiently short (<70 ps, which is limited by the driver speed) for the 4 × 4 switch module, no bits are lost during a 10-Gb/s switching experiment at a wavelength of 1.55 µm.

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