A 2-to-4 decoder switch in SiGe/Si multimode inteference.

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Integrated Optics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Optical switching is crucial for high-speed data communication networks.
• Developing compact and efficient optical switches is an ongoing research challenge.
• Silicon-based photonics offers a promising platform for integrated optical devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and simulate a novel SiGe/Si 2-to-4 decoder optical switch.
• To leverage the multimode interference principle and free-carrier plasma dispersion effect for optical signal routing.
• To demonstrate the device's performance characteristics, including insertion loss and crosstalk.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical design based on the multimode interference (MMI) principle.
• Incorporation of free-carrier plasma dispersion effect using index-modulation regions.
• Device simulation using the beam propagation method (BPM).
• Analysis of optical signal diversion under applied forward bias voltage.

Main Results:

• The proposed SiGe/Si 2-to-4 decoder switch exhibits low insertion loss (< 0.36 dB).
• Simulated crosstalk is below -19.7 dB, indicating high signal isolation.
• The device successfully diverts input optical signals to any of the four output waveguides.

Conclusions:

• The developed SiGe/Si 2-to-4 decoder switch is a viable component for optical signal routing applications.
• The integration of MMI and plasma dispersion offers an effective method for optical switching.
• The simulated performance metrics suggest potential for practical implementation in photonic integrated circuits.