GaAs electro-optic directional-coupler switch

Abstract
We report the fabrication and testing of a GaAs electro‐optic directional‐coupler (EDC) switch in which the fraction of light coupled from one waveguide channel to the other can be controlled by an applied electric field. Ninety‐five percent amplitude switching and a maximum extinction ratio of 13 dB have been observed in an EDC switch, having a minimum 3‐dB bandwidth of ≳100 MHz and a drive power per unit bandwidth of <180 μW/MHz.