POLYMERIC 1 × 2 DIGITAL OPTICAL AND 2 × 2 MACH–ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER WAVEGUIDE THERMO-OPTIC SWITCHES: DESIGN AND SIMULATION

In this paper, a polyurethane (PU) was prepared from polyether polyols, isophorone diisocyanate and 2-[4-( N , N -hydroxyethyl)-aminophenyl-azo]-6-nitrobenzothiazole. The Tg and Td (5% mass loss) are 112°C and 273°C, respectively. The refractive index, transmission loss and Sellmyer coefficients of PU were investigated. Polymeric 1 × 2 digital optical switch (DOS) and 2 × 2 Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) thermo-optic switches based on PU as waveguide at the infrared communication wavelength 1.55 μm were designed and simulated. Simulation results showed that the power consumption of 1 × 2 DOS is only 0.60 mW; and the response times of 1 × 2 and MZI switches are 9 ms and 2.5 ms, respectively.