Wideband silicon-photonic thermo-optic switch in a wavelength-division multiplexed ring network

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Communications
• Integrated Optics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• Wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) optical networks require efficient and low-power switching solutions.
• Existing thermo-optic switches often demand significant power and temperature stabilization.
• Compact and bias-free switching is crucial for scalable optical network architectures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a compact, bias-free silicon-photonic thermo-optic cross-bar switch.
• To evaluate its performance in switching multiple high-speed data channels in a WDM ring network.
• To assess power consumption and develop methods for characterizing switch performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a compact (0.03 mm²) silicon-photonic thermo-optic cross-bar switch.
• Implementation of a pulsed driving scheme for microsecond-scale switching.
• Development of an algorithm to measure power division, insertion/switching losses, and phase deviations.

Main Results:

• Successfully switched twenty 10 Gbit/s C-band WDM channels concurrently.
• Achieved microsecond-scale switching with low electrical power consumption (15 mW) and no temperature control.
• Demonstrated eye patterns and bit-error rate measurements confirming data integrity.

Conclusions:

• The developed silicon-photonic switch offers a power-efficient and compact solution for high-speed optical networks.
• Microsecond switching capability is achieved with minimal power, suitable for advanced WDM systems.
• The characterization algorithm provides essential metrics for performance evaluation and optimization.