Visible light thermo-optic switches using an Nb2O5 waveguide.

Abstract

Visible-light waveguides and thermo-optic switches were fabricated and demonstrated using Nb₂O₅, a material with a high refractive index in the visible spectrum, to investigate its material properties and switching performance. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to explore these characteristics. The thermo-optic coefficient of Nb₂O₅ was determined to be 2.27 × 10^-5 K^-1, while the fabricated switch exhibited an extinction ratio of 6.5 dB and a response time of 77 μs. These results suggest that Nb₂O₅ is a promising material for advancing the miniaturization of visible-light devices.