ARTÍCULO

Polymer-based hybrid integrated optical photochromic switch.

Gutiérrez, M Rodríguez-Cobos, A Balderas-Navarro, R E Bello-Jiménez, M Alvarez, J A Ramírez-Flores, G Guel, S Elizalde, L E Ledezma, R
JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH, Vol. 71, Issue: 8, Pages: 539-543 (AUG 2012)., 2012.

ABSTRACT:

This study presents development and characterization of an optical photochromic switch, in which guided signal is controlled by reversible photochromic properties of a polymeric film. The device is a hybrid structure composed of a waveguide fabricated by means of an ionic exchange technique, using (Na+/K+) on a glass substrate and a polymeric thin film deposited on the same glass substrate surface. Polymeric film belongs to spiropirans family, which when radiated by a wavelength within its absorption band displays reversible changes in its optical properties. Two kinds of optical pumping and different pumping wavelengths were studied to operate this device.