Modeling, optimization, and performance evaluation of fast, miniaturized 2D silicon photonic crystal n- and p-type...

This paper describes the design, mathematical modeling, and performance evaluation of two complementary devices, an n-type optical switch (NOS) and a p-type optical switch (POS) that use light beam interference effects in two-dimensional photonic crystals (2D-PhC). The proposed devices incorporate innovative layouts of oriented air holes precisely drilled into silicon substrates, resulting in easy-to-fabricate photonic crystal arrangements that serve as optical counterparts to both n- and p-type transistors. The proposed devices have been analyzed using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) computational method. The devices satisfy n- and p-type transistors characteristics at 1550 nm and have a compact footprint of 136.5 and 151.11µm², respectively. The contrast ratio (CR) of 5.54 dB and 5.9 dB has been maximized for the corresponding n- and p-type devices. Both devices operate in the C-band telecommunication window and have clock rate >33 gigahertz (GHz). In addition to the simulation framework, we have proposed a concise mathematical model for both devices that allows for analytical performance prediction and design scalability. The combination of the NOS and POS photonic crystal devices provides a key avenue toward implementing complementary photonic logic, which closely resembles CMOS designs. These findings highlight the potential for 2D-PhC-based devices to enable energy-efficient, compact, and high-speed all-optical computing circuits. Consequently, it can potentially contribute to the next-generation photonic integrated circuits for C-band optical communication and beyond.