Optical properties of new wide heterogeneous waveguides with thermo optical shifters

We present analysis and simulation of novel silicon-on-insulator (SOI) heterogeneous waveguides with thermo-optic phase shifters. New structure design contains a p-n junction on both sides of SOI ridge waveguide with 220 nm x 35 microm silicon core. Strongly mode-dependent optical losses (by additional free charge absorption) provide quasi-singe-mode behavior of wide waveguide with mode size approximately 10 microm. Local heater produces an efficient phase shifting by small temperature increase (DeltaT approximately 2K), switching power (< 40 mW) and switching time (< 10 micros). Mode optical losses are significantly decreased at high heating (DeltaT approximately 120 K).