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Densely integrated low polarization dependent 8 × 8 optical switch for optical network applications
Optics Express
|August 14, 2026
Summary
This study presents an ultra-compact 8x8 photonic integrated switch using semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) for high-speed data transmission. The novel design achieves excellent performance, paving the way for advanced optical interconnects.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Integrated Optics
- Semiconductor Devices
Background:
- Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) face challenges in high-density integration of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) due to fabrication constraints like growth rate enhancement (GRE) effects.
- Traditional butt-joint co-integration techniques in Indium Phosphide (InP) PICs necessitate large pitches ( > 100 μm) for SOAs, limiting scalability and compactness.
- Advancements in InP PIC technology are enabling more complex and compact switch circuits with higher radix.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a novel, ultra-compact, and polarization-insensitive 8x8 photonic integrated switch.
- To leverage a new technique for dense SOA integration in InP PICs, overcoming previous limitations.
- To validate the performance of the developed photonic switch for high-speed data communication.
Main Methods:
- Development of an 8x8 non-blocking photonic integrated switch using a broadcast-and-select configuration.
- Utilization of InP active/passive technology with semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) as integrated switches and amplifiers.
- Implementation of a dense SOA array integration technique with a reduced pitch (60 μm) on an active-passive InP platform.
Main Results:
- Demonstration of an ultra-compact, polarization-insensitive 8x8 photonic switch with SOAs at a 60 μm pitch.
- Achieved promising performance metrics: gain > 20 dB, PDG < 3 dB, OSNR > 40 dB across the C-band.
- Successful high-speed data transmission at 30 Gbps with a low power penalty (< 1 dB at BER 10⁻⁹) and demonstrated wide dynamic input power range (> 15 dB).
Conclusions:
- The developed photonic integrated switch offers a scalable and compact solution for high-speed optical interconnects.
- The dense SOA integration technique significantly enhances the feasibility of complex PIC switch designs.
- This work supports the advancement of commercial interconnect technologies for integrated optical devices.
