Fabrication of large scale integrated-optic N*N star couplers

The fabrication and performance of integrated-optic 64*64 and 144*144 star couplers based on high-silica planar lightwave circuit (PLC) technology are reported. The star couplers exhibit low insertion loss (average excess loss alpha =1.66 dB for 64*64 and alpha =2.02 dB for 144*144) and good splitting uniformity (standard deviation sigma =0.92 dB for 64*64 and sigma =1.47 dB for 144*144P) at 1.55 mu m.<
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