Integrated optical polarization splitter based on photobleaching-induced birefringence in azo dye polymers

An integrated optical polarization splitter has been fabricated by utilizin g the photobleaching-induced birefringence in an au, dye polymer. It consis ts of a Y-branch waveguide formed by the reactive ion etching with one of t he two arms photobleached. The refractive index of the photobleached arm is decreased for the TE mode and increased for the TM made. The performance o f the splitter was measured as a function of the energy of the photobleachi ng beam and compared to a wave propagation simulation of the device. The me asured cross talks are less than -28 dB for the TM mode and -24 dB for the TE mode at a wavelength of 1310 nm. The measured excess losses for the TE a nd TM modes, which measure the effect of the Y branch and the photobleachin g, are 0.3 and 0.4 dB, respectively. The insertion loss was 5 dB, which inc ludes the input fiber to waveguide coupling loss. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.