Ultra-large number of transmission channels in space division multiplexing using few-mode multi-core fiber with optimized air-hole-assisted double-cladding structure.

The ultimate number of transmission channels in a fiber for the space division multiplexing (SDM) is shown by designing an air-hole-assisted double-cladding few-mode multi-core fiber. The propagation characteristics such as the dispersion and the mode field diameter are almost equalized for all cores owing to the double cladding structure, and the crosstalk between adjacent cores is extremely suppressed by the heterogeneous arrangement of cores and the air holes surrounding the cores. Optimizing the structure of the air-hole-assisted double-cladding, ultra dense core arrangements, e.g. 129 cores in a core accommodated area with 200 µm diameter, can be realized with low crosstalk of less than -34.3 dB at 100km transmission. In this design, each core supports 3 modes i.e. LP(01), LP(11a), and LP(11b) as the transmission channels, so that the number of transmission channels can be 3-hold greater than the number of cores. Therefore, 387 transmission channels can be realized.

Hitless wavelength-selective switch with quadruple series-coupled microring resonators using multiple-quantum-well waveguides.

We demonstrate a hitless wavelength-selective switch (WSS) based on InGaAs/InAlAs five-layer asymmetric coupled quantum well (FACQW) quadruple series-coupled microring resonators. The WSS is driven by the electric-field-induced change in refractive index in the FACQW core layer caused by the quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) for high-speed operation. The WSS with high-mesa waveguides is fabricated on a molecular beam epitaxy-grown wafer by dry etching. The fabricated WSS consists of four microrings, each with a round-trip length of 350 µm and five directional couplers with shallow grooves. A boxlike spectral response and hitless switching with higher extinction ratios than a double series-coupled microring resonator are successfully demonstrated. In addition, we propose the improvement of switching characteristics by controlling the coupling efficiencies at the directional couplers.

Low-voltage quantum well microring-enhanced Mach-Zehnder modulator.

Modulation characteristics of a novel InGaAs/InAlAs multiple quantum well (MQW) microring-enhanced Mach-Zehnder modulator (MRE-MZM) is investigated in detail and its low-voltage operation with high extinction ratio is demonstrated. The MZM has a single microring resonator in one arm and is driven by the change in electrorefractive index induced by the quantum-confined Stark effect in the MQW core layer. As the MQW, a multiple five-layer asymmetric coupled quantum well (FACQW) is used to obtain a large electrorefractive index change. The driving voltage of the proposed MZM is significantly reduced owing to the enhanced phase shift in the microring resonator. High-mesa waveguide structures are grown by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy and fabricated by inductively coupled plasma etching. A directional coupler with an asymmetric branching ratio is used as an input coupler to prevent the degradation of the extinction ratio of the MZM. The extinction ratio of the fabricated MRE-MZM is approximately 27 dB. The product of the half-wave voltage and phase shifter length, V(π) · L, is 1.7 Vmm in static modulation. This value is one-quarter that of a conventional MZM with the same waveguide structure.

Hitless wavelength-selective switch based on quantum well second-order series-coupled microring resonators.

A hitless wavelength-selective switch (WSS) based on InGaAs/InAlAs multiple quantum well (MQW) second-order series-coupled microring resonators is proposed and fabricated. In the core layer, a five-layer asymmetric coupled quantum well (FACQW) structure is employed. The WSS is driven by the electrorefractive index change in the FACQW core layer caused by the quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE). The wafer for the WSS is grown by molecular beam epitaxy and waveguide structures are formed by dry etching. Boxlike spectrum responses and hitless switching characteristics of the WSS are successfully demonstrated for the first time. The change in coupling efficiency at a coupler between a ring and a busline and between rings and its effect on the switching characteristics are also discussed.

Laminated polymer waveguide fan-out device for uncoupled multi-core fibers.

A compact waveguide-type fan-out device for uncoupled multi-core fibers was demonstrated using a laminated polymer waveguide (LPW). The core spacing in the vertical direction was precisely controlled by the spin-coating of epoxy resin cladding with accurate viscosity control, while that in the lateral direction was determined precisely by using a photomask. The simultaneous coupling from the fan-out device to a seven-core MCF was successfully demonstrated. Next, we measured the offset loss characteristics of the cores of the LPW and calculated the spot size of the respective cores. The theoretical coupling losses evaluated from the spot size and the offset were as low as 0.2 - 7.5 dB.

Selective mode excitation and discrimination of four-core homogeneous coupled multi-core fiber.

Coupled modes of homogeneous coupled multi-core fiber are selectively excited and discriminated utilizing the difference of equivalent propagation angle. To quantatively evaluate the extinction ratio (selectivity) of adjacent modes, a new mode discrimination technique is developed by measuring the visibility of far-field patterns under small change of wavelength of the launching beam. The peak angles of discriminated far-field patterns show a strong correlation with the incident angle of the launching beam, which means that the coupled modes were selectively excited and discriminated.

UV trimming of polarization-independent microring resonator by internal stress and temperature control.

The temperature dependence of the resonant wavelength of vertically coupled microring resonator can be controlled via internal stress caused by the thermo-optic and photo-elastic effects. In the case of strong internal stress, a polarization-independent microring resonator can be realized by controlling the device surface temperature using a heater module; the temperature dependence of TE and TM polarizations are different due to the internal stress and thus manipulating temperatures, the resonant wavelengths for TE and TM can be equalized at a specific temperature. In this study, the UV trimming of polarization-independent wavelength was demonstrated using UV-sensitive SiON as a core material. The temperature dependence of TE polarization was almost athermalized and that of TM was made negative by controlling internal stress. As a result, the simultaneous realization of the UV trimming and the polarization-independent microring was made possible more easily than before; the UV trimming can be done at room temperature due to the athermalized resonant wavelength for TE polarization.

A wavelength-selective add-drop switch using silicon microring resonator with a submicron-comb electrostatic actuator.

Electrostatic comb-drive micro actuator with submicron comb fingers was connected to silicon microring resonator to consist a wavelength-selective add-drop switch at 1.5 microm wavelength with variable coupling mechanism. A 500 nm wide 260 nm thick 63.4 microm long silicon microring waveguide was suspended in air with low-loss suspension arms. The air gap between the microring and the input/output waveguides was adjusted by the voltage applied to the comb actuator to vary the coupling efficiency. Transmittance from the input port to a drop port was varied 32.9dB by applying the voltages from 0V to 28.2V. At 28.2V, transmittance from the input port to a through port decreased by 7.83 dB from that at 0V, and 55% of the intensity was transmitted to the drop port. The full-width-half-maximum bandwidth of the dropped light was 0.5 nm, corresponding to a Q-value of 3150.

Optical cross-connect circuit using hitless wavelength selective switch.

We have proposed and demonstrated the basic elements of a full matrix optical switching circuit (cross-connect circuit) using a hitless wavelength selective switch (WSS). The cross-connect circuits are made of a multi-wavelength channel selective switch consisting of cascaded hitless WSSs, and a multi-port switch. These switching elements are realized through the individual Thermo-Optic (TO) tuning of a series-coupled microring resonator, and can switch arbitrary wavelength channels without blocking other wavelength channels during tuning. We demonstrate a four wavelength selective switch using a parallel topology of double series coupled microring resonators and a three wavelength selective switch using a parallel topology of quadruple series coupled microring resonators. Since the spectrum shape of quadruple series coupled microring is much more box-like than the double series, a high extinction ratio of 39.0-46.6 dB and low switching cross talk of 19.3-24.5 dB were achieved.

Coupling-loss reduction of a vertically coupled microring resonator filter by spot-size-matched busline waveguides.

To improve the input-output coupling loss of a vertically coupled microring resonator filter, we fabricated microring resonators on an antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) with a large spot size and on the rectangular busline waveguide with a spot-size transformer. The spot size and the tapered structure were optimally designed from the viewpoint of spot-size matching to single-mode fibers and the reduction of radiation loss. Clear dropping responses were demonstrated for the ARROW-based microring resonator filters, and the coupling loss was successfully reduced by 22 dB.