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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
07:51
Fabrication of Silica Ultra High Quality Factor Microresonators
Published on: July 2, 2012
Ultra-low power parametric frequency conversion in a silicon microring resonator
Amy C Turner1, Mark A Foster, Alexander L Gaeta
1School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Optics Express
|June 11, 2008
Summary
We achieved parametric wavelength conversion using minimal power in a tiny silicon device. This breakthrough enables high-speed optical communications and on-chip integration of numerous devices.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Semiconductor Devices
Background:
- Four-wave mixing (FWM) is a key nonlinear optical process for wavelength conversion.
- Silicon photonics offers a scalable platform for integrated optical devices.
- Achieving efficient nonlinear optics typically requires high optical powers or long interaction lengths.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate efficient parametric wavelength conversion in silicon.
- To utilize ultra-low peak pump powers for this process.
- To enable integration of nonlinear optical functions on a chip.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a micrometer-scale silicon device.
- Implementation of four-wave mixing (FWM) for parametric wavelength conversion.
- Measurement of device response time and power efficiency.
Main Results:
- Parametric wavelength conversion was successfully demonstrated.
- Ultra-low peak pump powers (milliwatts) were utilized.
- A fast response time of 100 picoseconds was achieved.
- Potential for integrating hundreds of devices on a single chip was shown.
Conclusions:
- Micrometer-scale silicon devices can perform efficient wavelength conversion at low powers.
- The demonstrated device is suitable for high-bandwidth optical communications.
- Scalable on-chip integration of nonlinear optical functionalities is feasible.
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