Optically-reconfigurable integrated optical directed logic computing based on silicon photonics.

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Engineering
• Integrated Optics
• Digital Logic Design

Background:

• Optical directed logic (ODL) offers advantages in flexibility and power consumption over traditional electrical and all-optical logic.
• Current ODL devices often require external electrical tuning or multiple lasers, leading to high power usage and costs.
• Tunability and speed are critical for advanced optical signal processing and electro-optical computing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a reconfigurable ODL device on a silicon platform.
• To achieve multiple logic operations (XNOR, XOR, NAND) using a single device.
• To enhance the speed and reduce power consumption of ODL devices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the polarization state of light within an ODL device for logic function control.
• Implemented a silicon-based platform for device fabrication.
• Integrated a novel side-integrated metal thermal phase shifter to enhance response speed.
• Employed polarization division multiplexing technique.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated a single ODL device capable of performing XNOR, XOR, and NAND logic operations by altering input light polarization.
• Achieved a response time of 5 µs, significantly enhancing device speed.
• Successfully demonstrated logic operations at 60 kbps, a leading speed for thermally tuned ODL devices.
• Integrated polarization division multiplexing into ODL devices.

Conclusions:

• Developed a novel, reconfigurable, high-speed ODL device on a silicon platform.
• The polarization-controlled logic offers minimal additional power consumption.
• The device shows significant application prospects for high-speed optical information processing and electro-optical computing.