可调光衰减器(VOA)是密集波分复用(DWDM)网络中的重要器件之一,它的一个重要应用是实现多通道间的功率均衡。提出了一种基于三波导耦合结构的聚合物电光可调光衰减器的设计方案,即利用两个旁侧波导耦合掉主通道波导中的光,从而达到衰减的目的。并运用束传播法(BPM)对该器件进行了相关性能的模拟、分析及优化,使得该结构衰减达到60 dB,驱动电压为11.3 V,插入损耗为0.48 dB。该结构有效的降低了驱动电压,并使该结构的高衰减可调光衰减器得以实现。

Variable optical attenuator (VOA) is one of the key devices in Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network. This paper proposes a method of designing a couplingbased VOA. The VOA uses three channel waveguides and utilizes the electrooptic effects of polymer. The Beam Propagation Method (BPM) analyzes and simulates the qualities of this device. The results show that the VOA achieves nearly 60 dB loss with a low insert loss (0.48 dB) and the drive voltage is 11.7 V. This design reduces the drive voltage effectively, and realizes a large loss.