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Compact and fast-response optical switch based on complex refractive index engineering.

Yanxian Wei, Hailong Zhou, Jianji Dong

    Optics Letters
    |June 1, 2023
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    We developed a compact Mach-Zehnder interferometer optical switch using complex refractive index engineering. This significantly reduces device size and improves response time for integrated photonic circuits.

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    Area of Science:

    • Photonics
    • Materials Science
    • Electrical Engineering

    Background:

    • Optical switches are vital for integrated photonic circuits.
    • Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs) are widely used but have large footprints, limiting integration density.
    • Reducing MZI size is crucial for advancing photonic integration.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To propose a compact Mach-Zehnder interferometer optical switch.
    • To demonstrate size reduction through complex refractive index engineering.
    • To enhance the response speed of integrated optical switches.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized complex refractive index engineering to design the optical switch.
    • Manipulated material properties to compress the device's lateral dimensions.
    • Optimized heater-waveguide spacing for faster switching.

    Main Results:

    • Achieved a compact Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a lateral size of 3.25 µm.
    • Demonstrated a fast response time of 1.9 µs.
    • Successfully reduced the footprint of the optical switch significantly.

    Conclusions:

    • The proposed method offers a novel approach to compact integrated optical switches.
    • Complex refractive index engineering is effective for miniaturizing photonic devices.
    • This work opens new possibilities for using absorbing materials in optical switches.