Planar polarization-routing optical cross-connects using nematic liquid crystal waveguides

LI Tenghao; Qingming Chen; Y. U. Weixing; Xuming Zhang

doi:10.1364/OE.26.000402

Planar polarization-routing optical cross-connects using nematic liquid crystal waveguides

LI Tenghao, Qingming Chen, Y. U. Weixing, Xuming Zhang

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper presents the device design and performance analysis of a novel design of planar optical cross-connect (OXC) using nematic liquid crystal (NLC) waveguides. It employs N × N switching matrix in cross-bar fabric. In each unit cell, the input light is set in either the transverse electric (TE) mode or the transverse magnetic (TM) mode by electrically reorienting the NLC in the waveguide. The light then enters a passive waveguide and is routed to different paths depending on the polarization state (TE/TM mode). A sample device of 8 × 8 OXC is analyzed for performance estimation, which predicts a maximum on-chip insertion loss of 3 dB, an average cross-talk of −40 dB, ~1 ms switching time, and 2 mm × 2 mm footprint. The proposed OXC is unique in the switching mechanism of polarization-dependent routing and allows non-blocking switching with high compactness and broad bandwidth. It is potential for optical circuit switching in data centers and optical communication networks.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	402-418
Number of pages	17
Journal	Optics Express
Volume	26
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.26.000402
Publication status	Published - 8 Jan 2018

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

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10.1364/OE.26.000402

http://hdl.handle.net/10397/77275

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title = "Planar polarization-routing optical cross-connects using nematic liquid crystal waveguides",

abstract = "This paper presents the device design and performance analysis of a novel design of planar optical cross-connect (OXC) using nematic liquid crystal (NLC) waveguides. It employs N × N switching matrix in cross-bar fabric. In each unit cell, the input light is set in either the transverse electric (TE) mode or the transverse magnetic (TM) mode by electrically reorienting the NLC in the waveguide. The light then enters a passive waveguide and is routed to different paths depending on the polarization state (TE/TM mode). A sample device of 8 × 8 OXC is analyzed for performance estimation, which predicts a maximum on-chip insertion loss of 3 dB, an average cross-talk of −40 dB, ~1 ms switching time, and 2 mm × 2 mm footprint. The proposed OXC is unique in the switching mechanism of polarization-dependent routing and allows non-blocking switching with high compactness and broad bandwidth. It is potential for optical circuit switching in data centers and optical communication networks.",

author = "LI Tenghao and Qingming Chen and Weixing, {Y. U.} and Xuming Zhang",

note = "Funding Information: Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong (the General Research Fund including N_PolyU505/13, PolyU 152184/15E and PolyU 152127/17E); The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (G-YBPR, 4-BCAL, 1-ZE14, 1-ZE27 and 1-ZVGH); National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 61377068 and 61361166004). Funding Information: This work was supported by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and National Science Foundation of China. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Optical Society of America.",

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N1 - Funding Information: Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong (the General Research Fund including N_PolyU505/13, PolyU 152184/15E and PolyU 152127/17E); The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (G-YBPR, 4-BCAL, 1-ZE14, 1-ZE27 and 1-ZVGH); National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 61377068 and 61361166004). Funding Information: This work was supported by the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and National Science Foundation of China. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Optical Society of America.

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Planar polarization-routing optical cross-connects using nematic liquid crystal waveguides

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