Regresar

Variable optical Attenuator made by using new electrochromic devices

Abstract:

Electrochromic (EC) materials are used mainly for domotic applications, such as transparency controlled windows or rear-view mirrors in cars. The device construction is a sandwich of electrochemical compounds, which change their optical properties when applying voltage. Although the changes that are used in the applications take place in the visible, there are also changes in the near infrared region. In the last years, some works have proposed their use in fiber optic applications, mainly as optical modulators or VOAs (Variable Optical Attenuator). EC devices have usually slow responses (several seconds) and low transmittance range, specially the organic ones. The slow response is the major drawback for their use as modulators. But in NIR transmittance ranges, there are promising results in materials like ruthenium or PEDOT (poly(3,4- ethylenedioxythiophene)). In this work, we will study the possible use in VOAs of new EC devices developed with the minimum number of layers, by their response in telecommunications wavelengths. These devices are manufactured in such a way that the integration in fiber optic devices is an easy task. The minimum number of layers and the easy construction are improvements over the existing possibilities. PEDOT is the EC material on these devices, and different manufacturing ways are compared in order to detect the best possible candidate to use.