ADIABATIC POLYMER-GLASS-WAVE-GUIDE ALL-OPTICAL SWITCH

We propose an adiabatic all-optical switch that is composed of an asym metric Y-branch ion-exchanged glass waveguide with a strip of nonlinea r polymer loaded on top of one branch. The properties of nonlinear wav e propagation in the device are investigated in detail. By extending t he effective-index method to the analysis of nonlinear waveguides, we calculate the nonlinear dispersion curves in successive sections to ex plain the evolution of normal modes in the device. As the multivalued propagation constants exist in the tapered directional coupler region, the device possess an abrupt switching behavior and nonreciprocal pro perties. To demonstrate nonlinear switching behaviors in the Y-branch waveguide further, we employ a beam propagation method to simulate opt ical-field propagation. The inputs by three different ports are invest igated, and the results agree well with the dispersion-curve analysis.