Patent ID: 6760499
Filing Date: 2004-07-06
Classification: G02F

Abstract:
An integrated optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer device comprising:a first and second channel waveguide disposed on a substrate, each channel waveguide having; an input branch for receiving an incident light beam arriving from an input port, an output branch for directing an incident light beam to an output port, an arm segment connecting the input branch and the output branch, an input coupler connecting the input branch of at least one channel waveguide to the arm segments of the first and the second channel waveguides, an output coupler connecting the output branch of at least one channel waveguide to the arm segments of the first and the second channel waveguides, whereby the input coupler splits the light beam between the first and second arm segments and the output coupler recombines the split light beams arriving from the first and second arm segments, at least one actuator for modulating the refractive index of at least one of the first and second channel waveguide arm segments at least one of the first and second arm segments having an initial birefringence &Dgr; of equal magnitude to the birefringence induced in the other of the first and second arm segments by operation of the actuator.