Electrooptical switching in thin film waveguides for a computer communication bus

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Integrated Optics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Developing efficient optical switches is crucial for high-speed data communication.
• Integrated optical circuits require compact and low-loss switching components.
• Electro-optical modulators are key elements in optical signal processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a new crossing multimode channel waveguide electro-optical switch.
• To characterize the performance of the developed electro-optical switch.
• To highlight its potential application in optical computer communication data buses.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a crossing multimode channel waveguide structure.
• Electrical and optical characterization of the switch.
• Measurement of ON-state/OFF-state difference, insertion loss, capacitance, and device length.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 21-dB ON-state/OFF-state difference with 10 V applied voltage.
• Demonstrated a low insertion loss of 0.4 dB.
• Exhibited a low capacitance of 2.2 pF and a compact total length under 1.5 mm.

Conclusions:

• The new electro-optical switch exhibits excellent performance metrics.
• Its compact size and low loss make it suitable for integrated optical systems.
• The switch is a promising component for optical computer communication data buses, enabling efficient signal conversion and switching.