ANALYSIS AND DEMONSTRATION OF AN INTEGRATED OPTICAL SWITCH BASED ON DYNAMIC FREE-CARRIER GRATINGS - A BLUEPRINT FOR A 100X100 ELEMENT SWITCH ARRAY

We propose, analyze, and demonstrate a new type of integrated optical switch based on dynamic free carrier gratings at the intersection of c rossing waveguides. A low efficiency, nonregrowth device was fabricate d to demonstrate the dynamic free carrier grating concept. Experimenta l dynamic diffraction efficiency results measured as a function of wav elength for various polarization cases are analyzed using the models d eveloped here, and are found to be in good agreement with theory. Theo retical calculations for higher efficiency designs with more involved fabrication requirements indicate that high speed 100 x 100 element sw itch arrays, with good polarization independent diffraction efficiency (40%), and thus low insertion loss, can be fabricated on a single sub strate.