A new type of Ti-LiNbO/sub 3/ integrated optical Y branch

A report on the experimental verification of the basic operation of the proposed type of integrated optical Y branch using Ti-diffused lithium niobate is presented. The advantages of this Y branch include low-branching loss, compact size, no need for extra bending or curved elements when used as a 3-dB coupler in M-Z type switches, and freedom from critical fabrication requirements. A branching loss of 0.5 dB is achieved. The necessary three-dimensional analysis of the Ti-diffused Y-branch structure is described.<
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