U.S. Philips Corporation

Alcatel

Heinrich Hertz Institut Fuer Nachrichtentechnik Berlin Gmbh.

Carl Michael Weinert

Helmut Heidrich

Cornelis Van Dam

Norbert Keil

Kurt L&ouml;sch

Michael Hamacher

Meint K Smit

Karl M Hamacher

Cornelis A Steenbergen

In accordance with the invention, a plurality of glass waveguides (GWL,. . . GWL,) are arranged in a first plane. In an overlying plane there is arranged at least one polymer waveguide (PWLA) which forms an acute angle with the glass waveguides. Vertical coupling regions are formed where the polymer waveguide intersects the underlying glass waveguides. The coupling properties can be selectively influenced with the aid of heating electrodes (EA,. . . EA,; EB,. . . EB,). To switch over light from one glass waveguide into another, the temperature of the vertical coupling regions is set such that light is coupled up from the one glass waveguide into the polymer waveguide, is guided therein, and is coupled down into the desired glass waveguide in another coupling region.

Thermo-optical switch

In an integrated structure of a beam spread transformer with several buffer layers separated from each other by light guiding layers there is provided on the upper buffer layer an unclad rib waveguide with a tapered section. Between the fiber-facing interface and the tapered section there is provided a section over which the rib is extending. There, the waveguiding layer is completely removed and the exposed buffer layer is reduced symmetrically to a width which is greater than the width of the rib. By the additional rib thus formed coupling independent of polarization is made possible. The coupling is optimized by increasing layer thicknesses of the buffer layers.

Integrated optical beam spread transformer

An integrated optical circuit includes a first device and a second device, which devices are connected by a polarization convertor. The polarization convertor includes a curved section of a waveguide, integrated in the optical circuit. The curved section may have several differently curved subsections. The conversion ratio is determined in part by the radius of curvature of the curved subsections as well as by the number of transitions between subsections.

Integrated optical circuit comprising a polarization convertor

An integrated optical circuit comprises a first device and a second device, which devices are connected by a polarization convertor. The polarization convertor has one or more curved sections of a waveguide, integrated in the optical circuit. The conversion ratio is determined in part by the radius of curvature of the curved sections.

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Berlin, Germany

Carl Michael Weinert