Polarization dependence of the coupling ratio in LiTaO_3 directional couplers

Abstract

The effect of design and fabrication parameters on the polarization dependence of the splitting ratio in directional couplers produced in LiTaO3 by Zn diffusion has been investigated experimentally at a wavelength of 1558 nm. The directional couplers featured various combinations of waveguide width, separation gaps between waveguides, bending angle, and diffusion conditions. In each case the coupling region was 3.5 mm long. Of particular interest was the identification of parameter sets for which the sum of power splitting ratios from TE and TM inputs equals unity at the output, as needed for electro-optic tunable filters with relaxed beam-splitter requirements.