EP0966700A1

EP0966700A1 - Device for switching and modulating light

Info

Publication number: EP0966700A1
Application number: EP98913865A
Authority: EP
Inventors: François Kajzar; Maryanne Large; Paul Raimond
Original assignee: Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA
Current assignee: Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
Priority date: 1997-03-10
Filing date: 1998-03-09
Publication date: 1999-12-29
Also published as: FR2760543B1; WO1998040784A1; FR2760543A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for switching and modulating light, comprising at least an element (2) made of a non-linear optical material, asymmetrical relative to the centre, capable of being isomerized by light and means (12, 16) for generating an electrostatic field in an element to modify the propagation direction and/or the intensity of a light beam (4) reaching the element, when the field is generated and another light beam (22) modifying the refractive index is emitted into the element. The invention is useful for optical telecommunications.

Description

LIGHT SWITCHING AND MODULATING DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a light switching-modulation device.

It is therefore a device intended to change the direction of a light beam and / or to modulate the intensity of this light beam.

These optical switching and modulation functions find numerous applications in optical microsystems.

The present invention applies in particular to optical telecommunications, fast electronics and computers.

PRIOR STATE OF THE ART

To change the direction of propagation of a light beam in particular in a light guide, it is known to use prisms with high refractive index or diffraction gratings. The main drawback of these prisms and these diffraction gratings lies in their static nature.

To change the direction of propagation of a light beam, it is also known to use directional couplers as described in reference A mentioned at the end of this description, in which on'procede by variation of respective indices of two guides in the presence of each other, producing variable coupling by tunnel effect.

These rectifier couplers can be controlled by an electric field or by an electromagnetic field.

However, the required control powers are very high because of the relatively low value of the non-linear index n ₂ of known materials.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to remedy the above drawbacks.

The invention requires only low control light powers, of the order of lmW, while having a high speed of response and being inexpensive to implement.

Specifically, the subject of the present invention is a light switching-modulation device, this device being characterized in that it comprises:

- at least one element made of a non-linear, non-centrosymmetric, photoisomenable optical material, and

means for creating an electrostatic field in the element, so as to be able to modify at least one of the two parameters constituted by the direction of propagation and the intensity of a first light beam which reaches the element and to which it is transparent, when the electrostatic field is created and a second light beam, which is able to be absorbed by the material and to modify the refractive index of this material, is sent into the element.

Under the action of the second light beam, which constitutes a control beam, the molecules of the element material gradually change in isomeric conformation and spatial orientation, which results in a modification of the refractive index sufficient to change the propagation conditions of the first light beam.

The present invention results from the implementation, by its authors, of a phenomenon which is surprising for those skilled in the art: under the combined effect of the control beam and the electrostatic field, which constitutes a polarization field, expects indeed to obtain an increase in the polar order in the material as it is the case in the articles of J. Delaire and collaborators (reference B mentioned at the end of this description) and M. Dumont and collaborators (reference C mentioned at the end of this description); but the authors of the present invention have on the contrary found, surprisingly, the decrease in this polar order. According to a preferred embodiment of the device which is the subject of the invention, the means for creating the electrostatic field comprise two electrodes placed on either side of the element.

Preferably, at least one of the electrodes is at least partially transparent to the second beam.

The device which is the subject of the invention may further comprise at least two layers of confinement ("cladding layers") which are capable of confining the first beam in the element and which are provided on at least two opposite sides of this element. In this case, according to a first particular embodiment, the element forms a layer on either side of which are the two confinement layers.

In this case also, according to a second particular embodiment, the element forms a ribbon on each side of which there is one of said confinement layers.

The device which is the subject of the invention can constitute an X junction comprising two branches which each have a central part extended, on one side, by an input light guide and, on the other side, by a light guide of output, each central part comprising an element made of said material, so that, when the first beam is brought to the device by one of the input guides, it is capable of leaving this device by one or the other output guides depending on whether the second beam is or is not sent into the elements.

Instead, the device which is the subject of the invention may constitute a Y junction comprising an inlet light guide, two outlet light guides and a central part comprising said element and connected, on one side, to the guide entry and, on the other side, to the exit guides, so that, when the first beam is brought to the device by the entry guide, it is likely to leave this device by one or the other output guides depending on whether the second beam is or is not sent into the element. In the case where the two electrodes mentioned above are used, the device can constitute a Fabry-Pérot resonator in which the element is placed, the two electrodes being moreover transparent to the first beam and placed on either side of the resonator or delimiting it.

According to another particular embodiment, the device which is the subject of the invention further comprises a Mach-Zehnder mterferometer in a branch of which the element is placed.

The device which is the subject of the invention may further comprise means for generating the second beam parallel to the electrostatic field or obliquely with respect thereto.

The material used in the invention can be chosen from electro-optical polymers comprising photoisomerizable chromophores.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood on reading the description of embodiments given below, by way of purely indicative and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings in which: • Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view and partial of a particular embodiment of the device which is the subject of the invention, in which the element has the form of a layer,

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, • Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another particular embodiment of the device object of the invention, in which the element has the shape of a ribbon, • Figure A represents the variations, depending of time, of the intensity of the second harmonic generated by means of an electro-optical polymer,

FIG. 5 is a schematic and partial top view of a device according to the invention forming a directional coupler,

FIG. 6 is a schematic and partial top view of another device according to the invention forming a digital electro-optical modulator,

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of another device according to the invention, comprising a Fabry-Pérot resonator, and

• Figure 8 is a schematic top view of another device according to the invention, comprising a Mach-Zehnder mterferometer.

DETAILED PRESENTATION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

The device according to the invention, which is schematically and partially shown in longitudinal section in FIG. 1, comprises an element 2 made of a non-linear, non-centrosymmetric, photoisomenable optical material such as, for example, an electro optic comprising photoisomerizable chromophores. This material includes molecules which have a large permanent dipole moment and which undergo a change in conformation when this material is illuminated. For example, use is made of the grafted polymer generally called PMMA-DR1, consisting of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) on which the photoisomerizable molecules known under the name Disperse Red # 1 (DR1) have been attached. The element 2 is intended to guide a first light beam 4 which is emitted by a source 6.

To do this, this element 2 is between two confinement layers 8 and 10 which have a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the material constituting the element 2.

With PMMA-DR1, layers 8 and 10 can be made of silica.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the lower confinement layer, which has the reference 8, itself rests on a conductive substrate 12 for example of silicon forming electrode.

It is specified that the material constituting the element 2 is transparent to the light beam 4, the source 6 being chosen to emit in the transparency band of this material.

The device of FIG. 1 comprises another electrode 16 in addition to the electrode 12 formed by the substrate.

It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the electrode 12, which coincides with the substrate, constitutes a lower electrode while the electrode 16 is formed on the upper confinement layer 10. The two electrodes 12 and 16 are intended to create, in element 2, an electrostatic field E

(the intensity of which is constant over time) when a constant electric voltage V is applied between the two electrodes by means of polarization 18.

In a variant, the substrate 12 is insulating and a conductive layer 14 is then deposited on its upper face to form an electrode, the layer 8 then being above this electrode 14.

In this case, the voltage is applied between the electrodes 14 and 16.

The electrostatic field E is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the first light beam 4 in the element 2.

The device of FIG. 1 is provided with another light source 20 intended to provide a second light beam 22 which propagates perpendicular to the electrodes 12 and 16 and therefore parallel to the electrostatic field E.

This source 20 is chosen so that the beam 22 can be totally or partially absorbed by the material constituting the element 2. In the example shown, the element 2 partially absorbs the beam 22 and this beam 22 is sent into the element 2 through the electrode 16 which is chosen to be transparent or partially transparent to this beam 22. The electrode 12 may also be transparent or partially transparent to this beam 22, in which case at least part of this beam 22 passes through this electrode 12 when beam 22 is generated by source 20.

However, the electrode 12 could be opaque to the beam 22. The zone 23 of the device is shown in dotted lines, zone which is crossed by the beam 22 when this beam 22 is generated by the source 20.

The first beam 4 crosses the part of this zone 23 which is in the element 2 and therefore interacts with the electrostatic field E and the beam 22.

When the beam 22 is not emitted by the source 20, the beam 4 passes through the element 2

(position I). When the beam 22 is emitted by the source 20, the beam 4 is deflected because of the variation in the refractive index of the element 2 induced by the joint action of the electrostatic field

E and of the beam 22 and it then occupies a deflected position II.

It is specified that the electrostatic field E has an intensity of the order of 1 MV / cm or a few MV / cm.

This electrostatic field polarizes the molecules of the material constituting element 2 and creates a privileged direction in this material.

In addition, the beam 22, instead of having an orientation parallel to that of this electrostatic field, could be oriented obliquely with respect to this electrostatic field.

Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the device of Figure 1 in the case where the substrate constitutes an electrode. It can be seen in this FIG. 2 that the guide element 2 constitutes a layer of the optical material.

To obtain the device of FIG. 2, a layer of silica 8 is formed on the silicon substrate 12, acting as an electrode, and layer 2 of the optical material is formed on this layer of silica 8, for example by a "spin coating" deposit, then another layer of silica 10 is formed on this layer 2. Then the electrode 16 is formed on the layer 10.

Another device according to the invention is shown diagrammatically in cross section in FIG. 3, in the case where the substrate constitutes an electrode.

Figure 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view along I-I of this other device.

It can be seen in this FIG. 3 that the element 2 forms a ribbon which is surrounded by confinement layers 9 and 10 which are made of silica in the example shown.

To obtain this device of FIG. 3, a layer of silica 9 is deposited on the substrate 12 in which a groove is hollowed out intended to contain the ribbon-shaped guide element 2.

This element is formed in this groove for example by photobleaching ("photobleaching").

After which, the assembly obtained is covered with a layer of silica 10 and then the electrode 16 is formed as before. It is specified that the illumination of the element 2 by the beam 22 causes a change in the refractive index of this element 2 at the illuminated place.

With a suitable choice of this refractive index and of the confinement layers, the decoupling of the guided light beam 4 is obtained when the electrostatic field E is established and the beam

22 is sent to element 2.

Stopping the illumination of the element 2 by the beam 22 restores the conditions for guiding the element 2 so that the beam 4 is again guided by this element 2.

The length L of the beam decoupling zone 4 is equal to the diameter of the beam 22 and one is therefore able to easily control this length of the decoupling zone.

In the presence of the electrostatic field E, the illumination of the material by the beam 22 leads to a reduction in the polar order in this material and consequently to a reduction in the coefficient of generation of second harmonic and in the electro-optical coefficient of the material.

As will be seen more clearly below, this effect of decreasing the polar order and the associated change in the refractive index can be used in other systems such as, for example, directional couplers.

It can also be used to vary the intensity of the guided light beam, this intensity depending on the decoupling efficiency which also depends on the intensity of the beam 22. A device of the kind of those of FIGS. 1 to 3 has the following advantages over the known devices mentioned above.

This device is controlled by an external light source.

In addition, this device has a very short response time which can be of the order of 1 nanosecond.

The use of an electro-optical polymer, such as for example PMMA-DR1, also makes it possible to obtain excellent optical characteristics, at low cost.

Indeed, such a polymer has a strong electro-optical effect (its electro-optical coefficient is greater than or equal to 10 pm / V) and a high breakdown voltage (its breakdown field is greater than or equal to 100 V / μm) , allowing large variations in refractive index.

In addition, such a polymer is malleable, which contributes to inexpensive manufacture of the device.

In addition, the phenomenon involved in this device is reversible.

In fact, stopping the illumination of the element by the second beam restores the conditions for guiding the first beam.

Finally, the light power of the control beam 22 is low.

One can for example use, as a control beam, a laser beam whose power is of the order of 1 mW.

Second harmonic generation experiments in the polymer, electro-optical PMMA-DR1 were made thanks to the orientation of the chromophores of this polymer by corona effect.

FIG. 4 shows the curve representing the variations in the intensity I (in arbitrary units) of the second harmonic generation signal as a function of time t (in arbitrary units), when the polymer is illuminated (parts A of the curve) and when it is not illuminated (parts B of the curve).

There is a decrease of the harmonic intensity two I _2ω by a factor of 5.

The phenomenon is perfectly reversible as shown in Figure 4.

This decrease in the intensity of the second harmonic I _2ω corresponds to a decrease in the electro-optical coefficient r of the material by a factor of 2.

This results in a variation of the refractive index n of the material.

This variation Δn is given by the following formula:

n ^' .rE

Δn =

In this formula, E represents the intensity of the applied electrostatic field.

If the variation Δr of the electrooptical coefficient is equal to 10 pm / V (which corresponds to an initial value of 20 pm / V for r, value usually observed in such a polymer), and if n and E are respectively equal to 1, 6 and at 2 MV / cm, a variation in refractive index Δn equal to 0.01 is obtained. Such a value is largely sufficient to change the guidance conditions.

To improve the performance of a device according to the invention, it suffices to use polymers having higher non-linear coefficients.

In addition, instead of using an electro-optical polymer, it is possible to use a material made up of small molecules such as, for example, distilbenes.

Liquid crystals can also be used, for example nitrophenyl alkylammophényldiazènes.

The device according to the invention, which is shown diagrammatically in top view in FIG. 5, comprises an X junction comprising two branches 24, 26 which each have a central part 28, 30.

Each central part 28, 30 is extended, on one side, by an inlet light guide 32, 34 and, on the other side, by an outlet light guide 36, 38.

Each central part comprises an element 40, 42 made of the same material as the element 8 in FIG. 1.

Guides 32, 34, 36 and 38 can be made of silica or of this material.

Conventionally, the junction X provided with the elements 40 and 42 can be produced on an electrically conductive substrate 12, for example made of silicon.

Of course, lower and upper confinement layers (not shown) are provided on the substrate so that the light can be actually guided in guides 32, 34, 36 and 38 and elements 40 and 42.

The upper face of the upper confinement layer is provided with an electrode 16 which is transparent to the control beam of the device (of the kind of the beam 22 of FIG. 1) and which extends above the elements 40 and 42.

Note in FIG. 5 that the elements 40 and 42 extend beyond the zone covered by the upper electrode 16.

The confinement layers are for example chosen from silica to allow light to be guided and electrically isolate the upper electrode 16 from the substrate 12 which constitutes the lower electrode. As can be seen in FIG. 5, at the level of the elements 40 and 42, the upper electrode 16 extends on both sides of these elements.

It is therefore the same for the confinement layers in order to obtain the desired insulation. By applying a voltage between these two electrodes, it is still able to create an electrostatic field in the elements 40 and 42, perpendicular to the electrodes.

The operation of the device in FIG. 5 will now be explained.

The interaction length Li of the junction X and the distance d between the branches of the latter, at the level of the central parts 28 and 30, are determined so that the beam 4 injected into the guide 32 passes completely through the guide 38 located in line with guide 32.

When a control light beam, not shown, of the kind of the beam 22 in FIG. 1, is sent into the elements 40 and 42, through the electrode 16, with sufficient intensity, the beam 4 passes completely through the guide 36 (which is an extension of the guide 34). There is thus a configuration of the directional coupler type.

By varying the intensity of the control beam, it is possible to vary the percentage of the light beam 4 which passes through the guide 36 and therefore to modulate this beam.

The device according to the invention, which is shown diagrammatically in top view in FIG. 6, comprises a Y junction.

This Y junction includes an inlet light guide 44, two outlet light guides

46, 48 and a Y-shaped central part 50 comprising an element 52 made of the same material as the element 8 in FIG. 1.

This central part 50 is connected, on one side, to the inlet guide 44 and, on the other side, to the outlet guides 46 and 48.

It is specified that the guides 44, 46 and 48 can be made of a material capable of conducting light, for example silica, or can be made of the same material as the material constituting the element 52.

The whole of the Y junction, including the element 52, is conventionally formed on an electrically conductive substrate 12, for example made of silicon.

Of course, the device of FIG. 6 comprises, like that of FIG. 5, lower and upper confinement layers not shown, allowing the light to be guided by the guides 44, 46 and 48 and by the element 52.

An electrode 16 is formed on the upper face of the upper confinement layer, above the branch of the Y of the element 52, branch which is connected to the guide 46.

The confinement layers are for example chosen from silica to allow light to be guided and electrically isolate the upper electrode 16 from the substrate 12 which constitutes the lower electrode.

As seen in Figure 6, the upper electrode 16 extends on both sides of the branch of the Y above which it is located.

It is therefore the same for the confinement layers in order to obtain the desired insulation.

The operation of the device in FIG. 6 will now be explained.

The light beam 4 is also sent towards the element 52 via the input guide 44.

An electrostatic field is further established in this element 52 by applying a voltage, by means not shown, between the electrodes.

This voltage is chosen so that the beam 4 passes through the guide 46 in the absence of illumination, by a control beam of the type of the beam 22 of FIG. 1, of the part of the element

52 which is covered by the electrode 16.

When the control beam is sent to this part of the element 52, the percentage of the beam 4 which passes through the guide 48 is an increasing function of the intensity of the control beam. The device thus constitutes a modulator.

A digital electro-optical modulator is obtained if this intensity takes only two values: the value 0 and a value large enough for the entire beam 4 to pass through the guide 48.

In a particular embodiment not shown, the electrode 16 covers the whole of the element 52 but only the part of the element 52 mentioned above is illuminated with the control beam, through the electrode 16. high.

The device according to the invention, which is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7, comprises a Fabry-Pérot resonator delimited by two parallel semi-reflecting mirrors 54 and 56.

An element 58, made of the same material as element 2 in FIG. 1, is between the two mirrors 54 and 56.

These two mirrors are electrically conductive and constitute two electrodes.

These two electrodes allow the beam 4 to pass.

We apply, by appropriate means

60, an electrical voltage between the electrodes 54 and 56 so as to create an electrostatic field which is perpendicular to these electrodes and parallel to the beam 4.

It is specified that the thickness of material between the electrodes 54 and 56 is small, of the order of a few micrometers.

The device of FIG. 7 is also provided with the source 20 capable of supplying the control light beam 22. In the case of FIG. 7, this beam 22 is sent obliquely to the element 52, through the electrode 56 chosen so as to be transparent to this beam 22. However, the beam 22 could be sent parallel to the beam 4, for example by means of a semi-transparent mirror not shown.

The distance between the electrodes 54 and 56 is chosen to have the maximum transmission of the Fabry-Pérot resonator without illumination by the beam 22.

When the beam 22 is sent into the element 58, the refractive index of the material constituting this element is modified and the transmission of the beam 4 by the resonator decreases.

An optical bistable device is thus obtained having two transmission states depending on whether the beam 22 illuminates or does not illuminate the element 58.

In a particular embodiment not shown, the Fabry-Pérot cavity is delimited by two semi-reflecting mirrors and these two mirrors are respectively provided with two electrodes. The device according to the invention, which is schematically in top view in FIG. 8, comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in a branch of which is an element 62 of the kind of element 2 of FIG. 1. The the assembly is formed in a conventional manner on a conductive substrate 12, for example made of silicon. Of course, lower and upper confinement layers, not shown, for example made of silica, are provided on the substrate for guiding the light by the guides of the interferometer and by the element 62.

Two electrodes 64 and 66 are placed on either side of the element 62, as seen in plan view in FIG. 8, and are included, like the element 62, between the upper confinement layer and the lower containment layer.

By means of suitable means 68, a voltage is established between the electrodes 64 and 66 to create, in the element 62, the desired electrostatic field. In a particular embodiment not shown, the silicon substrate constitutes an electrode (lower electrode) of the device while another electrode (upper electrode) is formed above the element 62 on the upper face of the layer of superior confinement, for example in silica.

The light beam 4 is sent into the input guide 70 of the interferometer and the electrostatic field is created. In the absence of a control beam of the kind of the beam 22 in FIG. 1, a light beam 73 having a certain intensity (which may be zero) is obtained in the output guide 72 of the interferometer. When the control beam is sent to the element 62, this control beam modifies the refractive index of the material constituting the element 62 and therefore the phase of the light which is propagates in the corresponding branch 74 of the interferometer with respect to the other branch 76 of the latter and therefore modifies the intensity of the beam 73 which propagates in the output guide 72. A light modulator controlled by a light.

The documents cited in this description are as follows:

A) R.G. Hunsperger, Integrated Optics: Theory and Technology, Springer-Verlag, Berlin 1991, Chapter 6.

B) J. Delaire, Y. Atassi, R. Loucif-Saibi and K. Nakatani, Nonlinear Optics, 9, 317 (1995).

C) M. Dumont, G. Froc and S. Hosotte, Nonlinear Optics, 9, 327 (1995).

Claims

1. Light switching-modulation device, this device being characterized in that it comprises: - at least one element (2, 40-42, 52, 58, 62) made of a non-linear optical material, not -centrosymmetric, photoisoménsable, and

- Means (12-16, 54-56, 64-66) for creating an electrostatic field (E) in the element, so as to be able to modify at least one of the two parameters constituted by the direction of propagation and the intensity of a first light beam (4) which reaches the element and to which the latter is transparent, when the electrostatic field is created and a second light beam (22), which is capable of being absorbed by the material and to modify the refractive index of this material, is sent in the element.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the means for creating the electrostatic field comprise two electrodes (12-16, 54-56, 64-66) placed on either side of the element.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the electrodes (16) is at least partially transparent to the second beam (22).

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising at least two confinement layers (8-10, 9-10) which are capable of confining the first beam in the element and which are provided on at minus two opposite sides of this element.

5. Device according to claim 4, in which the element (2) forms a part layer and on the other side of which are the two confinement layers (8-10).

6. Device according to claim 4, in which the element forms a ribbon (2) on each side of which there is one of said confinement layers (9-10).

7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, constituting a junction X comprising two branches which each have a central portion extended, on one side, by an input light guide (32, 34) and, the other side, by an exit light guide (36, 38), each central part comprising an element (40, 42) made of said material, so that when the first beam (4) is brought to the device (32 ) by one of the input guides, it is likely to leave this device by one or the other of the output guides depending on whether the second beam is or is not sent into the elements.

8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, constituting a Y junction comprising an inlet light guide (44), two outlet light guides (46, 48) and a central part comprising said element (52 ) and connected, on one side, to the inlet guide and, on the other side, to the outlet guides, so that, when the first beam (4) is brought to the device by the inlet guide, it is likely to leave this device by one or the other of the outlet guides depending on whether the second beam is or is not sent in one element.

9. Device according to claim 3, further comprising a Fabry-Pérot resonator in which is placed the element (58), the two electrodes (54, 56) being also transparent to the first beam and placed on either side of the resonator or delimiting the latter.

10. Device according to claim 4, further comprising a Mach-Zehnder interferometer in a branch (74) of which the element (62) is placed.

11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising means (20) for generating the second beam (22) parallel to the electrostatic field (E) or obliquely with respect thereto.

12. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the material is chosen from electro-optical polymers comprising photoisomerizable chromophores.