A vertically coupled polymer optical waveguide switch

We have designed and fabricated a vertically coupled polymer thermo-optic switch. It consists of two waveguides laid in different but parallel layers with one waveguide crossing over the other, and an electrode heater on top. Preliminary results exhibited a switching extinction ratio greater than 23 dB and the power consumption in the heating electrode is lower than 50 mW. The switching time is about 2 ms. More significantly, the switching extinction ratio is relatively wavelength independent.