Low-crosstalk 2 x 2 thermo-optic switch with silicon wire waveguides

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Optical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Silicon photonics enables integrated optical circuits.
• Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) are fundamental components for optical switching.
• Achieving low crosstalk is crucial for high-performance optical switches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a 2x2 thermo-optic switch with silicon wire waveguides.
• To achieve low crosstalk levels in both switching states.
• To evaluate the power consumption of the device.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 2x2 array of thermo-optic Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) switches using silicon wire waveguides.
• Characterization of the optical switching performance, including crosstalk levels.
• Measurement of power consumption for individual MZI elements and the entire device.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a 2x2 thermo-optic switch with silicon wire waveguides.
• Achieved lowest crosstalk levels of -50 dB for the 'bar' state and -30 dB for the 'cross' state.
• Reported a power consumption of 40 mW per MZI element, with a total device consumption of at most 160 mW.
• Highlighted the importance of an intersection design for low crosstalk.

Conclusions:

• The demonstrated silicon photonic switch offers excellent performance with low crosstalk.
• The device is suitable for applications requiring high-fidelity optical signal routing.
• The design provides a power-efficient solution for integrated optical switching.