Simple method to adjust polarization dependence in polymeric arrayed waveguide gratings

Polarization-dependent wavelength shift of a birefringent-polymeric arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) is found to be adjusted simply by controlling the thickness of the first upper cladding layer while forming the upper cladding by several sublayers. Polarization-dependent wavelength shift is reduced to 0.08 from 4.24 nm in a birefringent-polymeric 16 /spl times/ 16 channel AWG on a silicon substrate by this method.