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Tunable Photonic Crystal Mach--Zehnder Interferometer Based on Self-collimation Effect |
| CHEN Xi-Yao1, LI Hui2, QIU Yi-Shen2, WANG Yu-Fei2, NI Bo2 |
| 1Department of Physics and Electronic Information Engineering, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 3501082School of Physics and Optoelectronics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350007 |
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| Cite this article: |
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CHEN Xi-Yao, LI Hui, QIU Yi-Shen et al 2008 Chin. Phys. Lett. 25 4307-4310 |
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Abstract A theoretical model for tunable Mach--Zehnder interferometers (TMZIs) constructed in a two-dimensional photonic crystal (2D PhC) is proposed. The 2D PhC consists of a square lattice of cylindric air holes in silicon. The TMZI includes two mirrors and two splitters. Light propagates between them employing a self-collimation effect. The two interferometer branches have different path lengths. Parts of the longer branch are infiltrated with a kind of liquid crystal (LC) with ordinary and extraordinary refractive indices 1.522 and 1.706, respectively. The transmission spectra at two TMZI output ports are in the shape of sinusoidal curves and have a uniform peak spacing 0.0017c/a in the frequency range from 0.26c/a to 0.27c/a. When the effective refractive index neff of the liquid crystal is increased from 1.522 to 1.706, the peaks shift to the lower frequencies over 0.0017c/a while the peak spacing is almost kept unchanged. Thus this TMZI can work as a tunable power splitter or an optical switch. For the central operating wavelength around 1550nm, its dimensions are only about tens of micron. Thus this device may be applied to photonic integrated circuits.
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| Keywords:
42.70.Qs
42.82.Gw
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Received: 30 July 2008
Published: 27 November 2008
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| PACS: |
42.70.Qs
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(Photonic bandgap materials)
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42.82.Gw
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(Other integrated-optical elements and systems)
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