Y-branch waveguides with stabilized splitting ratio designed by wavefront matching method

We designed optical Y-branch waveguides with a stabilized splitting ratio by using a new design approach based on the wavefront matching method. The designed Y-branches were fabricated using silica-based planar lightwave circuit technology. We suppressed any variation in the splitting ratio of the Y-branch experimentally and obtained excess losses of <0.35 dB over a wide wavelength range of 1.3-1.7 /spl mu/m.