Planar lightwave circuit-based integrated optical chip

Abstract

In an embodiment, an integrated optical chip comprises: a substrate; a plurality of planar lightwave circuit-based optical components that are formed on one surface of the substrate; and a plurality of optical waveguides that are formed on the one surface of the substrate and that connect the plurality of optical components to one another. In the embodiment, the plurality of optical components includes a saturable absorber having nonlinear loss characteristics. The saturable absorber may comprise: a core layer that is formed on the one surface of the substrate; an overcladding layer that wraps around at least a part of the core layer; and a saturable absorption layer that is formed on at least a part of the overcladding layer and that is arranged so as to interact with an evanescent field of light guided through at least a part of the core layer.