Hybrid digital electro-optic switch

A hybrid digital electro-optic switch comprising a cladding having therein an output core and at least a first and a second core, wherein

• a. the first core comprises a first core material, which first core material has a refractive index that changes in response to an applied electric field,
• b. the second core comprises a second core material, which second core material undergoes a change in refractive index in response to an applied electric field that is less than the change in refractive index for said first core material,
• c. the cladding is positioned over a substrate that has a width, a length, a depth, and a surface spanning the width and the length of the substrate, the first and second cores are substantially coplanar with the surface of the substrate, said first and second cores are positioned within the cladding so that the first and second cores evanescently couple under evanescent coupling conditions, and the first and second core materials provide an evanescent coupling between the first and second cores that changes in response to changes in the applied electric field, and
• d. the output core abuts the first core.

A hybrid digital electro-optic switch having at least three cores, wherein

• a. said at least three cores evanescently couple under evanescent coupling conditions;
• b. at least three materials are used individually to form the cores and the cladding of the hybrid digital electro-optic switch,
• c. at least three of the materials used to form the cores and the cladding of the hybrid digital electro-optic switch each has a refractive index that is different from the other of the three materials,
• d. a first material of said at least three materials undergoes a change in refractive index in response to an applied electric field, and
• e. a second material of said at least three materials undergoes a change in refractive index in response to an applied electric field that is less than the change in refractive index for said first material.

A hybrid digital electro-optic switch comprising

• a. a lower section having a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth lower region, said lower section being positioned over a substrate that has a width, a length, a depth, and a surface spanning the width and the length of the substrate, the lower section being substantially coplanar with the surface,
• b. a middle section having a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth middle region, and
• c. an upper section having a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth upper region,
• d. wherein the second and fourth middle regions each are formed of a material having a refractive index sufficient that the second and fourth regions of the middle section are cores under light transmitting conditions;
• e. wherein the second and fourth middle regions are spaced sufficiently closely that the second and fourth regions evanescently couple when light is transmitted into at least one of the second and fourth regions;
• f. wherein the second middle region is adjacent to the second lower region, the second upper region, and the first and third middle regions;
• g. wherein the fourth middle region is adjacent to the fourth lower region, the fourth upper region, and the third and fifth middle regions;
• and
• h. wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:
• i) when the second or fourth lower region is formed of an electro-optic material, the other of the second or fourth lower region is formed of a passive material,
• ii) when the second or fourth upper region is formed of an electro-optic material, the other of the second or fourth upper region is formed of a passive material;
• iii) when the first, third, or fifth middle region is formed of an electro-optic material, at least one of the other of the first, third, or fifth middle region is formed of a passive material;
• iv) when the second or fourth middle region is formed of an electro-optic material, the other of the second or fourth middle region is formed of a passive material and the region formed of an electro-optic material abuts an output core comprised of a passive material.

A hybrid digital electro-optic switch made by the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a base;
• b) forming coupled cores on said base;
• and
• c) providing cladding elements between the coupled cores;
• d) wherein at least two of the coupled cores or at least two of the cladding elements between the coupled cores are each separately formed of a first material and a second material, wherein the first material has a refractive index that differs from the second material, and said second material has less of a change in its refractive index in the presence of an electric field than said first material;
• and
• e) wherein the other of the coupled cores or the cladding elements are formed of a third material that has a refractive index that differs from the refractive index of the first and the second materials.