Optimizations of Double Titanium Nitride Thermo-Optic Phase-Shifter Heaters Using SOI Technology

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Semiconductor Device Physics

Background:

• Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) face fabrication imbalance issues affecting performance.
• Existing thermo-optic phase shifters (TOPS) often require high electrical power, increasing system costs.
• Single-heater TOPS designs are less energy-efficient for MZM applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and investigate an optimal double titanium nitride heater model for TOPS.
• To reduce electrical power consumption and thermal crosstalk in MZM devices.
• To enhance MZM performance for data centers and long-range optical communications.

Main Methods:

• Numerical investigations of a novel double titanium nitride heater TOPS design.
• Analysis of key geometrical parameters, heat distribution, and thermal crosstalk.
• Evaluation at 1550 nm wavelength using silicon-on-insulator technology.

Main Results:

• The optimal TOPS design achieves a π-phase shift with low electrical power (19.1 mW).
• Low thermal crosstalk (0.404) and minimal optical losses (<1 mm length) were achieved.
• The device effectively addresses MZM imbalance issues with improved energy efficiency.

Conclusions:

• The proposed double titanium nitride heater TOPS offers a low-power, high-performance solution for MZMs.
• This technology can improve transmitter system efficiency for data centers and optical networks.
• The optimized design contributes to cost reduction and enhanced functionality in optical communication.