Microphotonic Elements for Integration on the Silicon-on-Insulator Waveguide Platform

Janz, Siegfried; Cheben, Pavel; Dalacu, Dan; Delâge, A.; Densmore, A.; Lamontagne, B.; Picard, Marie-Josée; Post, E.; Schmid, Jens H.; Waldron, P.; Xu, D.‐X.; Yap, K.P.; Ye, Winnie N.

doi:10.1109/jstqe.2006.880612

Cited by 25 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 64 publications

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“…See Refs. [65] and [66] for discussions of recent integrated technology . The conventional approach for wavelength splitters in guided wave systems is to use arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) [67]- [69], but even in miniaturized systems [70] these have centimeter sizes, too large for the ~ 100 -200 µm width available here.…”

Section: A Off-chip Interconnects On Boards and Backplanesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Device Requirements for Optical Interconnects to Silicon Chips

2009

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Abstract-We examine the current performance and future demands of interconnects to and on silicon chips. We compare electrical and optical interconnects and project the requirements for optoelectronic and optical devices if optics is to solve the major problems of interconnects to future high performance silicon chips. Optics has potential benefits in interconnect density, energy and timing. The necessity of low interconnect energy imposes low limits especially on the energy of the optical output devices, with a ~ 10 fJ/bit device energy target emerging. Some optical modulators and radical laser approaches may meet this requirement. Low (e.g., a few fF or less) photodetector capacitance is important. Very compact wavelength splitters are essential for connecting the information to fibers. Dense waveguides are necessary on-chip or on boards for guided wave optical approaches, especially if very high clock rates or dense WDM are to be avoided. Free space optics potentially can handle the necessary bandwidths even without fast clocks or WDM. With such technology, however, optics may enable the continued scaling of interconnect capacity required by future chips.

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Section: A Off-chip Interconnects On Boards and Backplanesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Device Requirements for Optical Interconnects to Silicon Chips

2009

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“…We designed the gap of the coupler switch to be varied within a range of less than 1000 nm. Figure 3b shows the normalized light intensities at the through and drop ports of the coupler switch calculated as a function of G by assuming that the coupling length of the waveguide was 10 mm in equation (2). Because the gap was varied by the displacement of the actuator from an initial gap of 1000 nm, the displacement of the actuator is also shown in Figure 3b.…”

Section: Theoretical Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Due to the high refractive index of silicon (,3.5 at a wavelength of 1.5 mm), silicon waveguide circuits can be miniaturized to be several orders of magnitude smaller than silica waveguide circuits. Several types of circuits that employ submicron-scale silicon waveguides, such as waveguide splitters/couplers and micro-rings, [2][3][4] have been reported. In addition, a waveguide switch that uses a thermo-optical effect 5 and an ultra-fast silicon waveguide light modulator based on changes in the refractive index of silicon by carrier injection 6 have been reported.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single and multiple optical switches that use freestanding silicon nanowire waveguide couplers

Akihama

Hane

2012

Light Sci Appl

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Silicon photonic devices consisting of nanowire waveguides are a promising technology for on-chip integration in future optical telecommunication and interconnection systems based on silicon-large scale integration fabrication. However, the accommodation of variable optical components on a chip remains challenging due to the small size of microchips. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of a microelectromechanical silicon nanowire waveguide switch with a gap-variable coupler. Due to its capacitive operation, the proposed waveguide switch consumed negligible power relative to switches that use a thermo-optical effect and carrier injection. The proposed switch was characterized using analyses based on coupled-mode theory for rectangular waveguides, as well as a simulation using the finite difference time domain method. A 232 single switch with an improved configuration and a 236 multiple switch composed of the 232 switches was designed and fabricated by a combination of electron beam lithography, fast-atom beam etching and hydrofluoric acid vapor sacrificial etching. The properties of the switches were measured and evaluated at a wavelength of 1.55 mm. 1 The monolithic fabrication of silicon waveguides and silicon electronics is useful for future integration in opto-electronic systems. Due to the high refractive index of silicon (,3.5 at a wavelength of 1.5 mm), silicon waveguide circuits can be miniaturized to be several orders of magnitude smaller than silica waveguide circuits. Several types of circuits that employ submicron-scale silicon waveguides, such as waveguide splitters/couplers and micro-rings, 2-4 have been reported. In addition, a waveguide switch that uses a thermo-optical effect 5 and an ultra-fast silicon waveguide light modulator based on changes in the refractive index of silicon by carrier injection 6 have been reported. Recently, submicron-scale waveguide switches for optical path changes using the nano-mechanical motions of electrostatic actuators have been reported. 7 Due to the very low power consumption associated with capacitive operation, this technology suits the large-scale integration and reduced energy consumption requirements of telecommunication systems. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Among these waveguide circuits, coupler switches have attracted interest due to the use of non-contact low-loss mechanisms.13,15 A coupler switch using InP waveguides was operated by applying electrostatic forces between the freestanding waveguides. 13 In the case of a parallel-electrode actuator, a coupler gap smaller than two-thirds of the initial gap is not consistently controllable due to force instability. Using an in-plane comb-drive actuator, stable low-voltage operation has been realized for silicon waveguides.

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“…Silicon photonics [1][2][3] was chosen because the fabrication of such devices require only small and low cost modifications to existing fabrication processes. SOI technology is compatible with existing complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technologies for making compact, highly integrated, and multifunction devices [4,5]. The SOI platform uses silicon both as the substrate and the guiding core material.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arbitrary Power Splitting Couplers Based on 3x3 Multimode Interference Structures for All-optical Computing

Le¹

2011

IJET

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Abstract--Chip level optical links based on VLSI photonic integrated circuits have been proposed to replace metal electrical data paths in cases where high frequencies make electrical traces impractical. This is especially relevant to highspeed clock signals as silicon CMOS circuit technology is scaled higher in speed to the GHz range and beyond. In this paper, the realization of optical couplers and power taps based on 3x3 multimode interference structures using CMOS technology is presented. The proposed devices can be useful for all-optical interconnects, clock distribution and many other all-optical processing applications. The transfer matrix method and the 3D Beam Propagation Method (3D BPM) are used to optimize the proposed devices.

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Microphotonic Elements for Integration on the Silicon-on-Insulator Waveguide Platform

Cited by 25 publications

References 64 publications

Device Requirements for Optical Interconnects to Silicon Chips

Device Requirements for Optical Interconnects to Silicon Chips

Single and multiple optical switches that use freestanding silicon nanowire waveguide couplers

Arbitrary Power Splitting Couplers Based on 3x3 Multimode Interference Structures for All-optical Computing

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