Variable and rotatable waveplates of PLZT electrooptic ceramic material on planar waveguide circuits

Author

Hirabayashi, K. ; Amano, C.

Author_Institution

NTT Photonics Labs., Kanagawa, Japan

Volume

14

Issue

7

fYear

2002

fDate

7/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

956

Lastpage

958

Abstract

We have applied the (Pb/sub 1-x/La/sub x/)(Zr/sub y/Ti/sub z/)/sub 1-x/4/O₃ (PLZT) electro-optic ceramic material to produce variable and rotatable waveplates for polarization controls. This plate has a 90 μm×90 μm window between four sides. Each of the four sides is coated with a material that acts as an electrode. The plate is inserted in a trench across an array of parallel optical waveguides. A single PLZT waveplate of this type was capable of continuous and complete conversion. This requires the control of only two parameters, the direction and strength of the applied voltage. The device is fast with a response time of only 1 μs.

Keywords

ceramics; electro-optical devices; electrodes; lanthanum compounds; lead compounds; optical communication equipment; optical fibre polarisation; optical polarisers; 1 mus; 90 micron; PLZT; PLZT electrooptic ceramic material; PLZT waveplate; PbLaZrO3TiO3; applied voltage; electro-optic ceramic material; electrode; parallel optical waveguide array; planar lightwave circuit; planar waveguide circuits; polarization control; response time; variable rotatable waveplates; Ceramics; Electric variables control; Electrodes; Optical arrays; Optical materials; Optical polarization; Optical retarders; Optical variables control; Optical waveguides; Zirconium;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1041-1135

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LPT.2002.1012397

Filename

1012397