Low-drive-voltage and low-loss polarisation-independent LiNbO ₃ optical waveguide switches

Abstract

A simple and practical polarisation-independent directional coupler switch has been developed. The switch has an 18 V drive voltage, a below -17dB crosstalk and a 2.8 dB insertion loss between single-mode fibres at any incident polarisations with 1.3 μm wavelength.