Analysis of dual-microring-resonator cross-connect switches and modulators

Modeling and simulation results on new, resonant, waveguided 2 x 2 switches and 1 x 1 modulators are presented here. The devices employ two coupled microrings: one fixed and one floating. The fixed ring is coupled to bus waveguides that are crossed or are locally parallel. Electrooptic and thermooptic switching at lambda = 1.55 mum are investigated. A novel peaks-and-valley spectral response allows low-power switching with low crosstalk and low insertion loss. Complete switching is attained when the complex index of both rings is perturbed by Deltan ~ 4 x 10-4. The modulator's optical output power is a linear function of Deltan over three to five decades of Deltan.