Low-power thermo-optic switch based on polymer waveguide integrated with graphene heater.

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Thermo-optic (TO) switches are crucial components in photonic integrated circuits.
• Traditional TO switches often suffer from high power consumption and slow response times.
• Graphene's unique thermal and electrical properties offer potential for improved TO switch performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a low-power, fast-operating thermo-optic switch.
• To investigate the integration of a graphene heater within a polymer waveguide structure.
• To enhance heating efficiency and reduce power consumption in TO switches.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a polymer waveguide with a buried graphene heater.
• Utilizing inductively coupled plasma etching to create air trench structures.
• Characterization of the thermo-optic switch's performance, including switching power, extinction ratio, and response times.

Main Results:

• The integrated graphene heater minimizes optical loss for transverse-magnetic polarized light.
• The device achieves a switching power almost three times lower than traditional metal-electrode TO switches.
• Measured extinction ratio of 25 dB, switching power of 3.28 mW, and switching times of 96 μs (rise) and 112 μs (fall).

Conclusions:

• The proposed graphene-embedded polymer waveguide TO switch offers significant advantages in low power consumption and fast operation.
• The integrated processing method effectively protects the graphene layer and enhances heating efficiency.
• This technology holds promise for large-scale, low-power photonic integrated circuits.