Wafer fused optoelectronics for switching

Summary form only given. Major requirements for photonic switching elements are scalability, low loss and low crosstalk. In high speed packet switched networks, there is a need for large size waveguide switches that incorporate fiber loop memories and integrated semiconductor optical amplifiers. Wafer fusion techniques can be used to combine planar waveguides fabricated on two different substrates into a 3D structure in which there is vertical coupling between arrays of single mode waveguides through the fused regions. The fused vertically coupled (FVC) waveguide structure, was analyzed by the 3D finite difference beam propagation method (BPM). A single-mode ridge-loaded waveguide structure based on InP substrate, with 0.5 /spl mu/m InGaAsP was used.