Novel Multifunctional Device for Optical Power Splitting, Switching, and Attenuating

Author

Chen, Qinghua ; Wu, Wengang ; Yan, Guizhen ; Wang, Ziqian ; Hao, Yilong

Author_Institution

Peking Univ., Beijing

Volume

20

Issue

8

fYear

2008

fDate

4/15/2008 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

632

Lastpage

634

Abstract

This letter presents a novel microelectromechanical system multifunction-integrated optical device capable of simultaneously operating as a variable optical power splitter (VOPS), optical switch (OS), and variable optical attenuator (VOA). Assembling with ball-lensed fibers, the device manipulates the light with a binary-slope mirror driven by compound electrostatic actuator. Measurements have revealed that the excess loss is less than 3 dB (VOPS state), the switching time is less than 9 ms (OS state), and the controllable attenuation range is up to 39 dB (VOA state). Moreover, excellent polarization-dependent loss performance is achieved.

Keywords

micro-optics; optical attenuators; optical beam splitters; optical switches; ball-lensed fibers; binary-slope mirror; compound electrostatic actuator; microelectromechanical system; multifunction-integrated optical device; optical power splitting; optical switch; polarization-dependent loss performance; variable optical attenuator; variable optical power splitter; Assembly; Attenuation measurement; Electrostatic actuators; Microelectromechanical systems; Mirrors; Optical attenuators; Optical devices; Optical fiber devices; Optical fiber polarization; Optical switches; Microelectromechanical system (MEMS); multifunctional device; optical switch (OS); variable optical attenuator (VOA); variable optical power splitter;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2008.918924

Filename

4475229