JPH0410602B2 - - Google Patents
Info
- Publication number
- JPH0410602B2 JPH0410602B2 JP57020340A JP2034082A JPH0410602B2 JP H0410602 B2 JPH0410602 B2 JP H0410602B2 JP 57020340 A JP57020340 A JP 57020340A JP 2034082 A JP2034082 A JP 2034082A JP H0410602 B2 JPH0410602 B2 JP H0410602B2
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- optical
- optical waveguide
- waveguide
- refractive index
- substrate
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02F—OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- G02F1/00—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics
- G02F1/29—Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulating; Non-linear optics for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
- G02F1/31—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching
- G02F1/313—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching in an optical waveguide structure
- G02F1/3137—Digital deflection, i.e. optical switching in an optical waveguide structure with intersecting or branching waveguides, e.g. X-switches and Y-junctions
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Nonlinear Science (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Optical Integrated Circuits (AREA)
Description
【発明の詳細な説明】
(a) 発明の技術分野
本発明は、基板上に該基板に一体な光スイツチ
用導波路を形成する形成法に関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming a waveguide for an optical switch on a substrate, which is integral with the substrate.
(b) 技術の背景
近年、通信方式には光通信方式が採られ、その
伝送路には光フアイバが多用される。この光フア
イバを用いた光通信では、複数本の光フアイバ伝
送路からの光信号を複数本の光フアイバ伝送路へ
選択的に切り換え伝送するためのスイツチ素子を
介在させることが必要である。(b) Background of the technology In recent years, optical communication methods have been adopted as communication methods, and optical fibers are often used in the transmission paths. In optical communication using optical fibers, it is necessary to interpose a switch element for selectively switching and transmitting optical signals from a plurality of optical fiber transmission lines to a plurality of optical fiber transmission lines.
このようなスイツチ素子は、光学的誘電体基板
たとえばニオブ酸リチウム（LiNbO3）上にたと
えばチタン（Ti）を光導波路を形成するための
導波路用パターンとして形成し、該導波路用パタ
ーンを熱拡散することにより該基板中に屈折率制
御材である上記Tiを拡散させることで、光導波
路層を形成していた。 Such a switch element is made by forming a waveguide pattern of titanium (Ti) on an optical dielectric substrate such as lithium niobate (LiNbO 3 ) to form an optical waveguide, and then heating the waveguide pattern. By diffusing the Ti, which is a refractive index controlling material, into the substrate, an optical waveguide layer was formed.
ところが、上記の光導波路形成法による光スイ
ツチでは、クロストーク、消光比、および印加電
圧等の特性に問題があり、実用段階に至つていな
い。したがつて、光導波路の交叉部での屈折率分
布の良好な光スイツチ用導波路の形成法の開発が
要望されている。 However, the optical switch based on the above optical waveguide formation method has problems with characteristics such as crosstalk, extinction ratio, and applied voltage, and has not reached the practical stage. Therefore, there is a need to develop a method for forming an optical switch waveguide with a good refractive index distribution at the intersection of the optical waveguides.
(c) 従来技術と問題点
第１図および第２図は、従来の光スイツチ用導
波路を説明するための図であつて、第１図は形成
工程の要部断面、第２図は光導波路交叉部の平面
図ａと、交叉部におけるＹ方向の断面図ｂであ
る。第１図ａはLiNbO3からなる基板１上にTi等
の屈折率制御材をマスク蒸着等で必要とする所定
形状に導波路パターン２として形成する。次い
で、熱拡散を行うことによつて屈折率制御材が基
板１内に拡散し、第１図ｂのような光導波路３が
形成される。(c) Prior art and problems Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams for explaining a conventional waveguide for an optical switch. FIG. 3 is a plan view a of a wave-path crossing portion and a cross-sectional view b of the crossing portion in the Y direction. In FIG. 1a, a refractive index control material such as Ti is formed as a waveguide pattern 2 in a required predetermined shape by mask evaporation or the like on a substrate 1 made of LiNbO 3 . Next, by performing thermal diffusion, the refractive index control material is diffused into the substrate 1, and an optical waveguide 3 as shown in FIG. 1b is formed.
上記光導波路３を、第２図ａに示したような交
叉状に形成するとともに、この交叉部上に一対の
平面電極４を設け、この電極４に電圧を印加する
と矢印方向に電界Ｅが形成される。このように構
成された光スイツチは、光導波路Ａからの入力光
を光導波路Ｃへ屈折進行し、電極４への印加電圧
を断つと光導波路Ｄへ直進する。 The optical waveguide 3 is formed in a crossing shape as shown in FIG. 2a, and a pair of plane electrodes 4 are provided on the crossing portion, and when a voltage is applied to the electrodes 4, an electric field E is formed in the direction of the arrow. be done. The optical switch configured in this manner refracts and advances the input light from the optical waveguide A to the optical waveguide C, and when the voltage applied to the electrode 4 is cut off, the light travels straight to the optical waveguide D.
しかしながら、熱拡散によつて形成された光導
波路３は、第１図ｂに示したように基板１中の深
さ、および幅方向に拡散している。さらに詳しく
は、第３図に濃度分布を点線で示したように（図
中の〇印中の数字の小さい方が屈折率が高い）光
導波路３の屈折率分布が不均一であり、クロスト
ーク、消光比、および印可するスイツチング電圧
が高くなるといつた問題点があつた。 However, the optical waveguide 3 formed by thermal diffusion is diffused in the depth and width direction of the substrate 1, as shown in FIG. 1b. More specifically, the refractive index distribution of the optical waveguide 3 is nonuniform, as shown by the dotted line in Figure 3 (the smaller the number in the circle in the figure is, the higher the refractive index), and the crosstalk occurs. , the extinction ratio, and the applied switching voltage increased.
(d) 発明の目的
本発明は、上記従来の問題点に鑑み、屈折率制
御材の基板中への横方向の拡散を防止するととも
に屈折率分布を均一にした光スイツチ用導波路の
形成法を提供することを目的とするものである。(d) Purpose of the Invention In view of the above conventional problems, the present invention provides a method for forming a waveguide for an optical switch that prevents lateral diffusion of a refractive index control material into a substrate and makes the refractive index distribution uniform. The purpose is to provide the following.
(e) 発明の構成
上記目的を達成するための、本発明の構成要旨
とするところは、基板の表面上に光導波路となる
パターンを屈折率制御材により形成する工程と、
該パターン部分を残して周囲の基板部分を光導波
路となるべき厚さ分除去してリツジ型を形成する
工程と、該リツジ型に形成された基板部分内に前
記屈折率制御材を熱拡散してリツジ型の光導波路
を形成する工程と、からなることを特徴とする光
スイツチ用導波路の形成法である。(e) Structure of the invention In order to achieve the above object, the gist of the structure of the present invention is to form a pattern that will become an optical waveguide on the surface of a substrate using a refractive index control material;
forming a ridge shape by removing the surrounding substrate portion to a thickness that will become an optical waveguide, leaving the patterned portion; and thermally diffusing the refractive index control material into the substrate portion formed into the ridge shape. A method for forming a waveguide for an optical switch is characterized by comprising the steps of: forming a ridge-type optical waveguide using
(f) 発明の実施例
以下、図面を参照しながら本発明に係る光スイ
ツチ用導波路の形成法について、実施例で詳細に
説明する。(f) Embodiments of the Invention Hereinafter, a method for forming a waveguide for an optical switch according to the present invention will be described in detail in Examples with reference to the drawings.
第４図は本発明形成法の工程の一実施例を説明
する断面図である。ａ図において、LiNbO3から
なる基板１０上にTiなどの屈折率制御材１１を、
マスク蒸着などの光導波路となる所定形状のパタ
ーン１１を膜状に蒸着形成する。 FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating one embodiment of the process of the present invention forming method. In figure a, a refractive index control material 11 such as Ti is placed on a substrate 10 made of LiNbO 3 .
A pattern 11 having a predetermined shape, which will become an optical waveguide, is formed in the form of a film by vapor deposition using mask vapor deposition or the like.
次に、ｂ図に示すように上記パターン１１部分
とその下面の基板部分を残して、周囲の基板１０
部分を光導波路となるべき厚さ分を、たとえばプ
ラズマエツチング法などで除去してリツジ型部分
１０′を形成する。 Next, as shown in figure b, the surrounding substrate 10 is
A ridge-shaped portion 10' is formed by removing the thickness of the portion that is to become an optical waveguide, for example, by plasma etching.
このようにして形成されたリツジ型部分１０′
の上面には、一様な厚さのパターン１１である屈
折率制御材としてのTiが形成されているから、
このTiを熱拡散法によつてリツジ型部分１０′に
拡散浸透させると、ｃ図に示すようなリツジ型の
光導波路１２が得られる。つまり、Tiの厚さは
丁度リツジ型部分１０′にのみ拡散されるような
量に設定させることによつて、基板１０の横方向
へ拡散しないように定める。 The ridge-shaped portion 10' thus formed
Since Ti as a refractive index control material is formed as a pattern 11 of uniform thickness on the upper surface,
When this Ti is diffused into the ridge-shaped portion 10' by a thermal diffusion method, a ridge-shaped optical waveguide 12 as shown in Figure c is obtained. In other words, the thickness of Ti is set to such an amount that it is diffused only into the ridge-shaped portion 10', thereby preventing it from being diffused in the lateral direction of the substrate 10.
上記熱拡散は、Tiがリツジ型部分１０′にのみ
拡散することから、基板１０のエツチング面方向
へ余分な拡散を止めることで、均一な拡散層が得
られ、屈折率分布が一様となる。 In the above thermal diffusion, since Ti diffuses only into the ridge-shaped portion 10', by stopping excessive diffusion toward the etched surface of the substrate 10, a uniform diffusion layer is obtained and the refractive index distribution becomes uniform. .
第５図は、本発明形成法によつて得られた光ス
イツチの動作を説明するためのものであり、ａ図
に概略構成の斜視図、ｂ図に要部平面図、ｃ図に
ａ図の−断面図、を示す。なお光導波路を示
す符号１３は、第４図によつて得られる光導波路
１２と同様にして形成させたものである。１７は
光導波路１３の交叉部に設けた一対の電極であ
り、１８は電極１７に電圧を印加することによ
り、光導波路１３中に形成される低屈折率な光学
的壁である。 Figure 5 is for explaining the operation of the optical switch obtained by the formation method of the present invention, in which figure a is a perspective view of the schematic structure, figure b is a plan view of the main part, figure c is figure a A cross-sectional view of is shown. Note that the reference numeral 13 indicating an optical waveguide is formed in the same manner as the optical waveguide 12 obtained in FIG. 17 is a pair of electrodes provided at the intersection of the optical waveguide 13, and 18 is an optical wall with a low refractive index formed in the optical waveguide 13 by applying a voltage to the electrode 17.
ａ図おいて、光導波路Ａからの入力光は、電極
１７に電圧が印加されていないときは、光導波路
Ｄへ直進する。電極１７へ所定電圧を印加する
と、ｃ図に示したような交叉部に電界Ｅが生じ、
これによつて、ｂ図に示したような低屈折率な光
学的壁１８が内部に形成されるので、光導波路Ａ
からの入力光は、壁１８で全反射されて光導波路
Ｃの方向へと偏向される。以上のように、１×２
の光スイツチが構成される。 In Figure a, input light from optical waveguide A travels straight to optical waveguide D when no voltage is applied to electrode 17. When a predetermined voltage is applied to the electrode 17, an electric field E is generated at the intersection as shown in figure c.
As a result, an optical wall 18 with a low refractive index as shown in Fig. b is formed inside the optical waveguide A.
The input light is totally reflected by the wall 18 and deflected toward the optical waveguide C. As above, 1×2
A light switch is constructed.
光導波路Ｂから入射される入力光についても同
様であつて、電極１７へ電圧を印加しないときは
光導波路Ｃへ直進し、電極１７に所定電圧を印加
することによつて、壁１８で全反射されて光導波
路Ｄの方向へ偏向出力される。 The same applies to the input light incident from the optical waveguide B; when no voltage is applied to the electrode 17, it travels straight to the optical waveguide C, and by applying a predetermined voltage to the electrode 17, it is totally reflected at the wall 18. It is deflected and output in the direction of the optical waveguide D.
上記実施例は、１×２光スイツチについて説明
したが、本発明はこのようなものに限定されるも
のでなく、多くの変形例たとえばマトリクス形の
光スイツチなどへも適用実施し得ることを含む。 Although the above embodiment describes a 1×2 optical switch, the present invention is not limited to such a switch, and includes the possibility of applying and implementing many modifications, such as a matrix type optical switch. .
(g) 発明の効果
以上の説明から明らかなように、本発明に係る
光スイツチ用導波路の形成法によれば、従来の平
面埋込形形成法による光導波路を、リツジ型光導
波路形成法としたことにより、屈折率分布が均一
で、正確な形の光導波路が形成され、クロストー
ク特性および消光比が改善され、電極への印加電
圧を低減できるなど、光スイツチの特性向上に寄
与するところが大である。(g) Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above explanation, according to the method for forming an optical switch waveguide according to the present invention, an optical waveguide formed by the conventional planar buried type forming method can be replaced by a bridge type optical waveguide forming method. This makes it possible to form an optical waveguide with a uniform refractive index distribution and a precise shape, improving crosstalk characteristics and extinction ratio, and reducing the voltage applied to the electrodes, which contributes to improving the characteristics of optical switches. However, it is large.
第１図は従来の光スイツチ用導波路の形成法の
工程を説明するための断面図、第２図は光導波路
交叉部の平面図ａとその部分の断面図ｂ、第３図
はTiの濃度分布を示す要部拡大図、第４図は本
発明に係る光スイツチ用導波路の形成法による工
程の一実施例を説明するための断面図、第５図は
本発明に係る光スイツチの動作を説明するための
斜視図ａと平面図ｂおよび断面図ｃ、である。
図中、１，１０は基板、２は導波路パターン、
３，１２は光導波路、４，１７は電極、１０′は
リツジ型部分、１１はTiでなるパターン、１８
は光学的壁、を示す。
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the process of forming a conventional waveguide for an optical switch, Fig. 2 is a plan view a of an optical waveguide intersection part and a cross-sectional view b of that part, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a Ti FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the main part showing the concentration distribution, FIG. 4 is a sectional view for explaining an example of the process of forming a waveguide for an optical switch according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the optical switch according to the present invention. They are a perspective view a, a plan view b, and a cross-sectional view c for explaining the operation. In the figure, 1 and 10 are substrates, 2 is a waveguide pattern,
3 and 12 are optical waveguides, 4 and 17 are electrodes, 10' is a ridge-shaped portion, 11 is a pattern made of Ti, and 18
indicates an optical wall.
Claims (1)
折率制御材により形成する工程と、該パターン部
分を残して周囲の基板部分を光導波路となるべき
厚さ分除去してリツジ型を形成する工程と、該リ
ツジ型に形成された基板部分内に前記屈折率制御
材を熱拡散してリツジ型の光導波路を形成する工
程と、からなることを特徴とする光スイツチ用導
波路の形成法。1. A step of forming a pattern that will become an optical waveguide on the surface of the substrate using a refractive index control material, and a step of forming a ridge shape by removing the surrounding substrate portion to a thickness that will become an optical waveguide, leaving the patterned portion. and a step of thermally diffusing the refractive index control material into the substrate portion formed in the ridge shape to form a ridge-type optical waveguide.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP57020340A JPS58154820A (en) | 1982-02-10 | 1982-02-10 | Formation of waveguide for optical switch |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP57020340A JPS58154820A (en) | 1982-02-10 | 1982-02-10 | Formation of waveguide for optical switch |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPS58154820A JPS58154820A (en) | 1983-09-14 |
| JPH0410602B2 true JPH0410602B2 (en) | 1992-02-25 |
Family
ID=12024401
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP57020340A Granted JPS58154820A (en) | 1982-02-10 | 1982-02-10 | Formation of waveguide for optical switch |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS58154820A (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH0797170B2 (en) * | 1986-12-23 | 1995-10-18 | 松下電器産業株式会社 | Optical element manufacturing method |
| JP2788762B2 (en) * | 1989-08-18 | 1998-08-20 | 日本電気株式会社 | Optical circuit |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE2443038C2 (en) * | 1974-09-09 | 1984-01-12 | Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München | Electro-optical switch and modulator for intersecting or branching optical waveguides |
-
1982
- 1982-02-10 JP JP57020340A patent/JPS58154820A/en active Granted
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPS58154820A (en) | 1983-09-14 |
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