Investigated is a guided-wave device for dividing optical power into three equal parts. The device fundamentally consists of a three-waveguide tapered-velocity coupler which is designed to operate under the adiabatic condition. Field distributions of the local normal modes along the coupler explain basic principles of the device. Its performance is confirmed through numerical simulations by means of finite difference beam propagation method.

A two-waveguide tapered velocity coupler is presented for a variable divider of optical beams. The coupler consists of one tapered slab waveguide in dimension and the other slab waveguide with a constant film thickness. It is assumed that the device is fabricated on a LiNbO3 substrate, with a push/pull external electric field parallel with the optic axis applied only in the film regions of the coupler. Various numerical simulations through the finite difference beam propagation analysis show that a wide range of dividing ratios from - 15 dB to 15 dB or more can be achieved with considerably small values of driving-voltage electrode-length product and that the dividing characteristics are stable over a wide range of frequencies.