3x2 integrated microphotonic switches

Abstract

A microphotonic switch with three input waveguides and two output waveguides and integrated with an optical power splitter has been proposed. It is fabricated on the multimode interference principle in Si-based SiGe material system and configured for a 3× 2 symmetrical structure of the three input waveguides and the two output waveguides of the device. The central waveguide section is based on a multimode interference and incorporated with an activated carrier injection element. The operating wavelengths of the device are specially designed for 1545, 1550, and 1555 nm conventional-band wavelengths. The measured crosstalk is at around −17 dB and the average insertion loss is about 2.3 dB. At switch-ON state, the measured injection current is 370 mA corresponding to an injection current density of 950 A/cm 2 .