An Integrated Pump-Controlled Variable Coupler Fabricated by Ultrafast Laser Writing

The design and fabrication of a integrated symmetric directional coupler dependent o the pumping power and operating at a 1534 nm wavelength is reported. The twin-core waveguide was inscribed into Er(3+)/Yb(3+) co-doped phosphate glass by a femtosecond laser direct writing technique. By optical pumping, the coupling ratio can be modulated due to the changes induced in the refractive index of the material. The experimental results demonstrated that the coupling ratio can be tuned continuously from 100/0 to 50/50 by increasing the pump’s power from 0 to 350 mW. The developed twin-core coupler has promising applications for on-chip all-optical signal processing and communication systems.