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US 6,604,387 B2Granted
Method of inducing maximum non-linearities into silica for phase modulators & switches
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsMichel Digonnet, Alice Liu, Gordon Kino
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process of poling a silica material such as an optical fiber whereby electro-optic non-linearities are induced so that the material can function as a phase modulator and switch in optical communications applications. The poling is effected at an elevated temperature on the order of 450° C. or higher, using an electric field on the order of 800 V/μm or higher for a period of time in the range of one minute to several tens of minutes.
Claims15
A method of inducing an electro-optic nonlinearity in a silica-based glass material having a dielectric breakdown field, the method comprising:
- heating the silica-based glass material;
- ramping up the temperature to an elevated temperature at a rate which does not physically damage the silica-based glass material, said elevated temperature selected to be at least as high as an optimum poling temperature for inducing the electro-optic nonlinearity in the silica-based glass material;
- applying an electric field through the silica-based glass material, said electric field having a magnitude close to and less than the dielectric breakdown field of the silica-based glass material;
- while applying said electric field, ramping down the temperature from said elevated temperature to a temperature lower than said optimum poling temperature at a rate slow enough to allow the silica-based glass material to be at a temperature close to said optimum poling temperature for a sufficient time to yield a maximum non-zero electro-optic nonlinearity of the silica-based glass material for the applied electric field and the optimum poling temperature;
- and
- turning off the electric field and allowing the silica-based glass material to return to an ambient temperature.
3 more elements
A method of inducing an electro-optic nonlinearity in a silica-based glass material having a dielectric breakdown field, the method comprising:
- heating the silica-based glass material;
- ramping up the temperature to an elevated temperature at a rate which does not physically damage the silica-based glass material, said elevated temperature selected to be at least as high as an optimum poling temperature for inducing the electro-optic nonlinearity in the silica-based glass material;
- applying an electric field through the silica-based glass material, said electric field having a magnitude close to and less than the dielectric breakdown field of the silica-based glass material, wherein said dielectric breakdown field of the silica-based glass material is approximately 800 V/μm;
- while applying said electric field, ramping down the temperature from said elevated temperature to a temperature lower than said optimum poling temperature at a rate slow enough to allow the silica-based glass material to be at a temperature close to said optimum poling temperature for a sufficient time to yield a maximum non-zero electro-optic nonlinearity of the silica-based glass material for the applied electric field and the optimum poling temperature;
- and
- turning off the electric field and allowing the silica-based glass material to return to an ambient temperature.
3 more elements
A method of inducing an electro-optic nonlinearity in a silica-based glass material having a dielectric breakdown field, the method comprising:
- heating the silica-based glass material, wherein said silica-based glass material is an optical fiber;
- ramping up the temperature to an elevated temperature at a rate which does not physically damage the silica-based glass material, said elevated temperature selected to be at least as high as an optimum poling temperature for inducing the electro-optic nonlinearity in the silica-based glass material;
- applying an electric field through the silica-based glass material, said electric field having a magnitude close to and less than the dielectric breakdown field of the silica-based glass material;
- while applying said electric field, ramping down the temperature from said elevated temperature to a temperature lower than said optimum poling temperature at a rate slow enough to allow the silica-based glass material to be at a temperature close to said optimum poling temperature for a sufficient time to yield a maximum non-zero electro-optic nonlinearity of the silica-based glass material for the applied electric field and the optimum poling temperature;
- and
- turning off the electric field and allowing the silica-based glass material to return to an ambient temperature.
3 more elements
A method of inducing a second-order nonlinearity in a silica-based glass material, the method comprising:
- heating the silica-based glass material from an ambient temperature to an elevated temperature at a rate which does not physically damage the silica-based glass material, said elevated temperature selected to be at least 400° C.;
- applying an electric field through the silica-based glass material, said electric field having a magnitude greater than a dielectric breakdown field of air at the elevated temperature;
- and
- while applying said electric field, ramping down the temperature of the silica-based glass material from said elevated temperature until the temperature of the silica-based glass material is lower than an optimum poling temperature for the silica-based glass material for inducing the second-order nonlinearity in said silica-based glass material.
1 more element
A method of inducing a second-order nonlinearity in a silica-based glass material, the method comprising:
- determining an optimum poling temperature for a silica-based glass material for inducing the second-order nonlinearity in said silica-based glass material;
- heating the silica-based glass material from an ambient temperature to an elevated temperature at a rate which does not physically damage the silica-based glass material, said elevated temperature selected to be at least as high as said optimum poling temperature;
- applying an electric field through the silica-based glass material, said electric field having a magnitude selected to be close to and less than a dielectric breakdown field of the silica-based glass material;
- and
- while applying said electric field, ramping down the temperature of the silica-based glass material from said elevated temperature to a temperature below said optimum poling temperature.
2 more elements
A method of inducing a second-order nonlinearity in a silica-based glass material, the method comprising:
- determining an optimum poling temperature for a silica-based glass material for inducing the second-order nonlinearity in said silica-based glass material;
- heating the silica-based glass material from an ambient temperature to an elevated temperature at a rate which does not physically damage the silica-based glass material, said elevated temperature selected to be at least as high as said optimum poling temperature;
- applying an electric field through the silica-based glass material, said electric field having a magnitude selected to be close to and less than a dielectric breakdown field of the silica-based glass material, wherein said dielectric breakdown field of the silica-based glass material is approximately 800V/μm;
- and
- while applying said electric field, ramping down the temperature of the silica-based glass material from said elevated temperature to a temperature below said optimum poling temperature.
2 more elements
A method of inducing a second-order nonlinearity in a silica-based glass material, the method comprising:
- determining an optimum poling temperature for a silica-based glass material for inducing the second-order nonlinearity in said silica-based glass material, wherein the silica-based glass material is an optical fiber having a core and a cladding, wherein the core is positioned a few microns below a surface of the cladding, and wherein the second-order nonlinearity is induced in the core of the optical fiber;
- heating the silica-based glass material from an ambient temperature to an elevated temperature at a rate which does not physically damage the silica-based glass material, said elevated temperature selected to be at least as high as said optimum poling temperature;
- applying an electric field through the silica-based glass material, said electric field having a magnitude selected to be close to and less than a dielectric breakdown field of the silica-based glass material;
- and
- while applying said electric field, ramping down the temperature of the silica-based glass material from said elevated temperature to a temperature below said optimum poling temperature.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.