Broadband CMOS-compatible SOI temperature insensitive Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) are crucial in photonic integrated circuits.
• Achieving athermal operation over an extended spectral range remains a key challenge.
• Temperature sensitivity impacts device performance and limits applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an improved design methodology for athermal SOI Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
• To enhance the spectral range of these devices while maintaining minimal temperature sensitivity.
• To enable more stable and versatile photonic device operation.

Main Methods:

• Proposed an advanced design approach for SOI Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
• Focused on optimizing device geometry for athermal performance.
• Characterized temperature sensitivity and spectral response near 1550 nm.

Main Results:

• The improved design achieved near-zero temperature sensitivity.
• Demonstrated a temperature sensitivity of 2.5 pm/K.
• The device operated effectively over a spectral range exceeding 60 nm.

Conclusions:

• The proposed design significantly improves the athermal performance of SOI Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
• This advancement extends the usable spectral range, enhancing device applicability.
• The findings contribute to the development of more robust and efficient photonic integrated circuits.