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Minimizing temperature sensitivity of silicon Mach-Zehnder interferometers
Biswajeet Guha1, Alexander Gondarenko, Michal Lipson
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, NY, USA.
Optics Express
|February 23, 2010
Summary
Researchers developed a new design for integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometers, achieving near-zero spectral shifts with temperature changes. This breakthrough enables athermal optical filters and modulators compatible with CMOS technology.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Materials Science and Nanotechnology
Background:
- Integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) are fundamental photonic devices.
- Temperature fluctuations can significantly alter MZI performance, limiting applications.
- Achieving passive athermalization in MZIs is a key challenge in integrated photonics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel design strategy for integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
- To significantly reduce the temperature sensitivity of MZIs.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of creating passively compensated athermal optical devices.
Main Methods:
- A new design approach for integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometers was conceptualized and implemented.
- The temperature-dependent spectral response of the designed MZIs was experimentally characterized.
- Key design parameters were optimized to achieve thermal stability.
Main Results:
- The developed Mach-Zehnder interferometers exhibit minimal spectral shifts over a range of temperatures.
- A near-zero temperature coefficient of approximately 0.005 nm/K was achieved.
- This represents a significant improvement in thermal stability for integrated photonic devices.
Conclusions:
- A novel, passively compensated athermal design for integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometers has been successfully demonstrated.
- The achieved low temperature sensitivity paves the way for robust optical filters and modulators.
- This advancement supports the development of fully CMOS-compatible photonic integrated circuits.
