Low cross-talk 2 × 2 silicon electro-optic switch matrix with a double-gate configuration.

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Integrated Optics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Silicon photonics enables advanced optical communication systems.
• Electro-optic switch matrices are crucial components for routing optical signals.
• Minimizing cross-talk and power consumption are key challenges in switch matrix design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and experimentally demonstrate a low cross-talk 2x2 silicon electro-optic switch matrix.
• To investigate the performance of a double-gate configuration for enhanced switching.
• To evaluate the power consumption characteristics of the proposed switch matrix.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a 2x2 switch matrix using silicon electro-optic technology.
• Integration of four Mach-Zehnder interferometer-based switching elements.
• Experimental characterization of cross-talk and power consumption across a 40 nm wavelength range.

Main Results:

• Achieved low cross-talk values of -31 dB (cross-state) and -43 dB (bar-state).
• Demonstrated stable performance over a 40 nm wavelength range around 1550 nm.
• Reported steady-state power consumption of 40.8 mW (cross-state) and 19.1 mW (bar-state).

Conclusions:

• The proposed double-gate silicon electro-optic switch matrix effectively minimizes cross-talk.
• The device exhibits efficient power consumption, suitable for practical optical networks.
• Experimental validation confirms the potential of this design for integrated photonic applications.