Silicon photonics research can be dated back to the 1980s. However, the previous decade has witnessed an explosive growth in the field. Silicon photonics is a disruptive technology that is poised to revolutionize a number of application areas, for example, data centers, high-performance computing and sensing. The key driving force behind silicon photonics is the ability to use CMOS-like fabrication resulting in high-volume production at low cost. This is a key enabling factor for bringing photonics to a range of technology areas where the costs of implementation using traditional photonic elements such as those used for the telecommunications industry would be prohibitive. Silicon does however have a number of shortcomings as a photonic material. In its basic form it is not an ideal material in which to produce light sources, optical modulators or photodetectors for example. A wealth of research effort from both academia and industry in recent years has fueled the demonstration of multiple solutions to these and other problems, and as time progresses new approaches are increasingly being conceived. It is clear that silicon photonics has a bright future. However, with a growing number of approaches available, what will the silicon photonic integrated circuit of the future look like? This roadmap on silicon photonics delves into the different technology and application areas of the field giving an insight into the state-of-the-art as well as current and future challenges faced by researchers worldwide. Contributions authored by experts from both industry and academia provide an overview and outlook for the silicon waveguide platform, optical sources, optical modulators, photodetectors, integration approaches, packaging, applications of silicon photonics and approaches required to satisfy applications at mid-infrared wavelengths. Advances in science and technology required to meet challenges faced by the field in each of these areas are also addressed together with predictions of where the field is destined to reach.

We report the design and characterization of external-cavity DBR lasers built with a III-V-semiconductor reflective-SOA with spot-size converter edge-coupled to SOI waveguides containing Bragg grating mirrors. The un-cooled lasers have wall-plug-efficiencies of up to 9.5% at powers of 6 mW. The lasers are suitable for making power efficient, hybrid WDM transmitters in a CMOS-compatible SOI optical platform.

High‐capacity, high‐density, power‐, and cost‐efficient optical links are undoubtedly of critical importance for datacenter infrastructure. However, the optics roadmap has come to a fork in the road: Is it right to continue on the tried and proven path of pluggable modules or is it time to adopt a new deployment model that involves co‐packaged optics? Herein, we aim to shed light on the trade‐offs involved, enabling technologies, paths to adoption, and potential impact on datacenter network architecture.

No abstract

Articles you may be interested in 1.84 m emission of Tm 3 + sensitized by Yb 3 + ions in monoclinic K Gd ( W O 4 ) 2 single crystalsWe report the formation of waveguides in Raman-active KGd͑WO 4 ͒ 2 with a focused, high repetition rate femtosecond laser. Parallel guiding regions, formed to either side of the laser-induced damage track, supported TE and TM modes that coupled efficiently to optical fiber at telecom wavelengths. Micro-Raman spectroscopy of the guiding regions revealed the preservation of the characteristic 768 and 901 cm −1 Raman mode intensities. Raman gain with 6% efficiency was demonstrated for the 768 cm −1 Raman line by pumping the waveguide with an infrared 80 ps source, the first time Raman gain has been reported in laser formed waveguides.