Electro-optic phase modulator using metal-defined polymer optical waveguide

Abstract

We demonstrate metal-defined electro-optic polymer phase modulators for the first time. A metal strip patterned on top of a three-layer slab waveguide causes a strain-induced refractive index change, resulting in lateral optical mode confinement within the core layer. The strain profile, refractive indexes, and optical mode shapes of the metal defined optical waveguide are obtained analytically. Electro-optic phase modulators fabricated using this technique have a driving voltage of 5.6V, and ∼18dB of extinction ratio at 1.55μm wavelength. These results may be used in the complex design of integrated polymer optical circuits that require a simple and cheap fabrication process.