Reconfigurable silicon thermo-optical ring resonator switch based on Vernier effect control

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Integrated Optics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Thermo-optic switches are crucial for optical communication networks.
• Existing devices often lack integration or reconfigurability.
• Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility is desired for scalable manufacturing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a proof-of-concept for a new CMOS-compatible thermo-optic reconfigurable switch.
• To integrate multiple optical functionalities into a single, compact device.
• To explore the potential of coupled ring resonator structures for advanced optical switching.

Main Methods:

• Experimental demonstration of a thermo-optic switch.
• Utilizing a coupled ring resonator (CRR) structure.
• Fabrication compatible with standard CMOS processes.

Main Results:

• Successful experimental demonstration of the thermo-optic reconfigurable switch.
• The device integrates tunable filtering, non-blocking switching, and reconfigurability.
• Achieved a compact device footprint of approximately 50 μm x 30 μm.

Conclusions:

• A single, compact optical device can achieve multiple functionalities.
• The demonstrated switch is CMOS compatible, enabling scalable integration.
• Coupled ring resonator structures offer a promising platform for reconfigurable photonic integrated circuits.