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Ultra-compact and temperature-insensitive Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on one multimode waveguide on silicon.
Optics Letters
|February 2, 2017
Summary
This study introduces an ultra-compact Mach-Zehnder interferometer on a silicon-on-insulator platform. The device demonstrates excellent performance, including high extinction ratios and temperature-insensitive operation.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and optical engineering
- Integrated optics
Background:
- Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) are fundamental optical devices.
- Traditional MZIs can be bulky and sensitive to temperature fluctuations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an ultra-compact and temperature-insensitive Mach-Zehnder interferometer.
- To demonstrate high-performance interference patterns and thermal stability.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a novel MZI on a silicon-on-insulator platform.
- Utilizing a straight multimode waveguide with two densely packed silicon wires.
- Characterization of interference patterns and temperature response.
Main Results:
- Achieved extinction ratios better than 20 dB.
- Demonstrated temperature-insensitive operation for global and local temperature changes.
- Observed a wavelength response shift rate within ±10 pm/K over a 30 nm range.
Conclusions:
- The proposed ultra-compact MZI offers robust performance.
- This device is suitable for applications requiring high precision and stability in varying thermal conditions.
