Functionalized polymer waveguide optical switching devices integrated with visible optical amplifiers based on an organic gain material

Abstract In this work, polymer waveguide based optical switching devices integrated with visible optical amplifying waveguides based on an organic gain material are designed and fabricated. The gain compound is a red emissive oligomer, with good dispersibility in organic polymer matrices. Optical characteristics and thermal stabilities of the active polymer waveguide core and cladding materials are analyzed. Optical gain of the amplifier operating at 650 nm red signal wavelength with 0.1 mW input power is found to be over 3.5 dB under only 1.6 mW pumping power with 532 nm green excitation light. The on-off response time of the integrated thermo-optic switch applied is measured to be 600 μs, with switching extinction ratio of 20 dB and electric switching power of 18.5 mW. The integrated switching device capable of optical gain will be suitable for applications to optical communications at the visible wavelength range involving plastic optical fiber systems.