Low-loss sharp bends in polymer waveguides enabled by the introduction of a thin metal layer.

Abstract

Embodying a thin metallic layer underneath the core of a sharply bent polymer waveguide is shown in this work to considerably reduce the total losses of both the quasi-transverse-electric and quasi-transverse-magnetic modes. The computational results show a total loss as low as ~0.02 dB/90° for the quasi-transverse-electric mode for radii between 6 and 13 µm at the wavelength of 1.55 µm, which corresponds to a 10-fold improvement over the purely dielectric counterpart. The radii range exhibiting such low total loss can be tuned by properly selecting the parameters of the structure. For the quasi-transverse-magnetic mode, the metal layer reduces the total losses modestly for radii ranging from 3 to 10 µm. Simulation results for different structural parameters are presented.

• Authors: Mustafa Akin Sefunc, Markus Pollnau, Sonia M García-Blanco
• Journal: Optics express (Opt Express) Vol. 21 Issue 24 Pg. 29808-17 (Dec 02 2013) ISSN: 1094-4087 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24514530 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)