Performance Analysis of Variable Optical Attenuator on Different Materials

In this paper Ridge, S-bend waveguide design and analysis has been performed for C-band using various materials like Silica (SiO 2 ), Silicon Nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), Barium Fluoride (BaF 2 ) and Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2 ). We have performed a comparative study and identified Si 3 N 4 as the most suitable material for silicon photonics platform based on lower insertion and propagation losses. Si 3 N 4 based ridge waveguide reduces insertion loss to 5.68dB and propagation loss to less than 1dB/cm. These designed waveguides will be used in variable optical attenuator. Here in this paper, we also propose a variable optical attenuator based on the configurations of a Si 3 N 4 -BaF 2 and TiO 2 -Si 3 N 4 S-bend waveguides. The thermo-optic characteristics of Si 3 N 4 and BaF 2 materials are fully utilized for making variable optical attenuator (VOA). After performing software simulation, simulation results are verified with theoretical results. We get Optical attenuation of 1 to 50 dB with an applied electrical voltage of 0 to 20 V for length of 100 um device with low insertion loss.