Thermo-optic tuning and switching in SOI waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavities
Optics Express, Vol. 15, Issue 12, pp. 7557-7563 (2007)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.15.007557
Acrobat PDF (1052 KB)
Abstract
Compact silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide thermo-optically tunable Fabry-Perot microcavities with silicon/air Bragg mirrors are demonstrated. Quality factors of Q=4,584 are measured with finesse F=82. Tuning is achieved by flowing current directly through the silicon cavity resulting in efficient thermo-optic tuning over 2 nm for less than 50 mW applied electrical power. The high-Q cavities enable fast switching (1.9 μs rise time) at low drive power (<10 mW). By overdriving the device, rise times of 640 ns are obtained. Various device improvements are discussed.
© 2007 Optical Society of America
1. Introduction
G. Cocorullo and I. Rendina, “Thermo-optical modulation at 1.5 μm in silicon etalon,” Electron. Lett. 28, 83–85 (1992). [CrossRef]
R. A. Soref and B. R. Bennett, “Electro optical effects in silicon,” IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. QE-23, 123–129 (1987). [CrossRef]
R. L. Espinola, M.-C. Tsai, James T. Yardley, and R. M. Osgood, “Fast and low-power thermo optic switch on thin silicon-on-insulator,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15, 1366–1368 (2003). [CrossRef]
M. Harjanne, M. Kapulainen, T. Aalto, and P. Heimala, “Sub-μs switching time in silicon-on-insulator Mach-Zehnder thermo optic switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2039–2041 (2004). [CrossRef]
M. W. Geis, S. J. Spector, R. C. Williamson, and T. M. Lyszczarz, “Submicrosecond submilliwatt silicon-on-insulator thermooptic switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2514–2516 (2004). [CrossRef]
I. Kiyat, A. Aydinli, and N. Dagli, “Low-power thermo optical tuning of SOI resonator switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 18, 364–366 (2006). [CrossRef]
C. A. Barrios, V. R. Almeida, R. R. Panepucci, B. S. Schmidt, and M. Lipson, “Compact silicon tunable Fabry-Pérot resonator with low power consumption,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 506–508 (2004). [CrossRef]
H. M. Chong and R. De La Rue, “Tuning of photonic crystal waveguide microcavity by thermooptic effect,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 1528–1530 (2004). [CrossRef]
I. Kiyat, A. Aydinli, and N. Dagli, “Low-power thermo optical tuning of SOI resonator switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 18, 364–366 (2006). [CrossRef]
C. A. Barrios, V. R. Almeida, R. R. Panepucci, B. S. Schmidt, and M. Lipson, “Compact silicon tunable Fabry-Pérot resonator with low power consumption,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 506–508 (2004). [CrossRef]
H. M. Chong and R. De La Rue, “Tuning of photonic crystal waveguide microcavity by thermooptic effect,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 1528–1530 (2004). [CrossRef]
2. Approach
M. W. Pruessner, W. S. Rabinovich, T. H. Stievater, D. Park, and J. W. Baldwin, “Cryogenic etch process development for profile control of high aspect-ratio sub-micron silicon trenches,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 25, 21–28 (2007). [CrossRef]
M. W. Pruessner, Todd H. Stievater, and William S. Rabinovich, “Integrated waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavities with silicon/air Bragg mirrors,” Opt. Lett. 32, 533–535 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
M. W. Pruessner, Todd H. Stievater, and William S. Rabinovich, “Integrated waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavities with silicon/air Bragg mirrors,” Opt. Lett. 32, 533–535 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
M. W. Geis, S. J. Spector, R. C. Williamson, and T. M. Lyszczarz, “Submicrosecond submilliwatt silicon-on-insulator thermooptic switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2514–2516 (2004). [CrossRef]
R. A. Soref and B. R. Bennett, “Electro optical effects in silicon,” IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. QE-23, 123–129 (1987). [CrossRef]
R. A. Soref and B. R. Bennett, “Electro optical effects in silicon,” IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. QE-23, 123–129 (1987). [CrossRef]
3. Experimental results
M. W. Pruessner, Todd H. Stievater, and William S. Rabinovich, “Integrated waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavities with silicon/air Bragg mirrors,” Opt. Lett. 32, 533–535 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3.1 Thermo-optic tuning
M. W. Pruessner, T. H. Stievater, and W. S. Rabinovich, “Tunable Fabry-Perot waveguide microcavities with high index contrast mirrors, in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science and Photonic Applications Systems Technologies, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, 2007), paper CThP3.
R. A. Soref and B. R. Bennett, “Electro optical effects in silicon,” IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. QE-23, 123–129 (1987). [CrossRef]
B. Schmidt, Q. Xu, J. Shakya, S. Manipatruni, and M. Lipson, “Compact electro-optic modulator on silicon-on-insulator substrates using cavities with ultra-small modal volumes,” Opt. Express 15, 3140–3148 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3.2 Thermo-optic attenuation
M. W. Pruessner, Todd H. Stievater, and William S. Rabinovich, “Integrated waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavities with silicon/air Bragg mirrors,” Opt. Lett. 32, 533–535 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
3.3 Thermo-optic switching
4. Discussion
M. W. Pruessner, T. H. Stievater, and W. S. Rabinovich, “Tunable Fabry-Perot waveguide microcavities with high index contrast mirrors, in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science and Photonic Applications Systems Technologies, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, 2007), paper CThP3.
M. Tinker and J. -B. Lee, “Thermal and optical simulation of a photonic crystal light modulator based on the thermo-optic shift of the cut-off frequency,” Opt. Express 13, 7174–7188 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
G. Cocorullo and I. Rendina, “Thermo-optical modulation at 1.5 μm in silicon etalon,” Electron. Lett. 28, 83–85 (1992). [CrossRef]
M. Harjanne, M. Kapulainen, T. Aalto, and P. Heimala, “Sub-μs switching time in silicon-on-insulator Mach-Zehnder thermo optic switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2039–2041 (2004). [CrossRef]
B. Schmidt, Q. Xu, J. Shakya, S. Manipatruni, and M. Lipson, “Compact electro-optic modulator on silicon-on-insulator substrates using cavities with ultra-small modal volumes,” Opt. Express 15, 3140–3148 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
R. A. Soref and B. R. Bennett, “Electro optical effects in silicon,” IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. QE-23, 123–129 (1987). [CrossRef]
5. Summary
Acknowledgments
References and links
G. Cocorullo and I. Rendina, “Thermo-optical modulation at 1.5 μm in silicon etalon,” Electron. Lett. 28, 83–85 (1992). [CrossRef] | |
R. A. Soref and B. R. Bennett, “Electro optical effects in silicon,” IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. QE-23, 123–129 (1987). [CrossRef] | |
R. L. Espinola, M.-C. Tsai, James T. Yardley, and R. M. Osgood, “Fast and low-power thermo optic switch on thin silicon-on-insulator,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15, 1366–1368 (2003). [CrossRef] | |
Y. Li, J. Yu, and S. Chen, “Rearrangeable nonblocking SOI waveguide thermo optic 4×4 switch matrix with low insertion loss and fast response,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 17, 1641–1643 (2005). [CrossRef] | |
M. Harjanne, M. Kapulainen, T. Aalto, and P. Heimala, “Sub-μs switching time in silicon-on-insulator Mach-Zehnder thermo optic switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2039–2041 (2004). [CrossRef] | |
M. W. Geis, S. J. Spector, R. C. Williamson, and T. M. Lyszczarz, “Submicrosecond submilliwatt silicon-on-insulator thermooptic switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2514–2516 (2004). [CrossRef] | |
I. Kiyat, A. Aydinli, and N. Dagli, “Low-power thermo optical tuning of SOI resonator switch,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 18, 364–366 (2006). [CrossRef] | |
C. A. Barrios, V. R. Almeida, R. R. Panepucci, B. S. Schmidt, and M. Lipson, “Compact silicon tunable Fabry-Pérot resonator with low power consumption,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 506–508 (2004). [CrossRef] | |
H. M. Chong and R. De La Rue, “Tuning of photonic crystal waveguide microcavity by thermooptic effect,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 1528–1530 (2004). [CrossRef] | |
M. W. Pruessner, W. S. Rabinovich, T. H. Stievater, D. Park, and J. W. Baldwin, “Cryogenic etch process development for profile control of high aspect-ratio sub-micron silicon trenches,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 25, 21–28 (2007). [CrossRef] | |
M. W. Pruessner, Todd H. Stievater, and William S. Rabinovich, “Integrated waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavities with silicon/air Bragg mirrors,” Opt. Lett. 32, 533–535 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
M. W. Pruessner, T. H. Stievater, and W. S. Rabinovich, “Tunable Fabry-Perot waveguide microcavities with high index contrast mirrors, in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science and Photonic Applications Systems Technologies, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, 2007), paper CThP3. | |
B. Schmidt, Q. Xu, J. Shakya, S. Manipatruni, and M. Lipson, “Compact electro-optic modulator on silicon-on-insulator substrates using cavities with ultra-small modal volumes,” Opt. Express 15, 3140–3148 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed] | |
M. Tinker and J. -B. Lee, “Thermal and optical simulation of a photonic crystal light modulator based on the thermo-optic shift of the cut-off frequency,” Opt. Express 13, 7174–7188 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed] |
OCIS Codes
(120.2230) Instrumentation, measurement, and metrology : Fabry-Perot
(160.6840) Materials : Thermo-optical materials
(230.1480) Optical devices : Bragg reflectors
(230.3120) Optical devices : Integrated optics devices
(230.5750) Optical devices : Resonators
(230.7370) Optical devices : Waveguides
ToC Category:
Optical Devices
History
Original Manuscript: March 27, 2007
Revised Manuscript: April 20, 2007
Manuscript Accepted: April 20, 2007
Published: June 5, 2007
Citation
Marcel W. Pruessner, Todd H. Stievater, Mike S. Ferraro, and William S. Rabinovich, "Thermo-optic tuning and switching in SOI waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavities," Opt. Express 15, 7557-7563 (2007)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-12-7557
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References
- G. Cocorullo and I. Rendina, "Thermo-optical modulation at 1.5 μm in silicon etalon," Electron. Lett. 28, 83-85 (1992). [CrossRef]
- R. A. Soref and B. R. Bennett, "Electro optical effects in silicon," IEEE J. Quantum. Electron. QE-23, 123-129 (1987). [CrossRef]
- R. L. Espinola, M.-C. Tsai, JamesT. Yardley, and R. M. Osgood, "Fast and low-power thermo optic switch on thin silicon-on-insulator," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15, 1366-1368 (2003). [CrossRef]
- Y. Li, J. Yu, and S. Chen, "Rearrangeable nonblocking SOI waveguide thermo optic 4×4 switch matrix with low insertion loss and fast response," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 17, 1641-1643 (2005). [CrossRef]
- M. Harjanne, M. Kapulainen, T. Aalto, and P. Heimala, "Sub-μs switching time in silicon-on-insulator Mach-Zehnder thermo optic switch," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2039-2041 (2004). [CrossRef]
- M. W. Geis, S. J. Spector, R. C. Williamson, and T. M. Lyszczarz, "Submicrosecond submilliwatt silicon-on-insulator thermooptic switch," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 2514-2516 (2004). [CrossRef]
- I. Kiyat, A. Aydinli, and N. Dagli, "Low-power thermo optical tuning of SOI resonator switch," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 18, 364-366 (2006). [CrossRef]
- C. A. Barrios, V. R. Almeida, R. R. Panepucci, B. S. Schmidt, and M. Lipson, "Compact silicon tunable Fabry-Pérot resonator with low power consumption," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 506-508 (2004). [CrossRef]
- H. M. Chong, and R. De La Rue, "Tuning of photonic crystal waveguide microcavity by thermooptic effect," IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 16, 1528-1530 (2004). [CrossRef]
- M. W. Pruessner, W. S. Rabinovich, T. H. Stievater, D. Park and J. W. Baldwin, "Cryogenic etch process development for profile control of high aspect-ratio sub-micron silicon trenches," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 25, 21-28 (2007). [CrossRef]
- M. W. Pruessner, ToddH. Stievater, and William S. Rabinovich, "Integrated waveguide Fabry-Perot microcavities with silicon/air Bragg mirrors," Opt. Lett. 32, 533-535 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- M. W. Pruessner, T. H. Stievater, and W. S. Rabinovich, "Tunable Fabry-Perot waveguide microcavities with high index contrast mirrors, in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/Quantum Electronics and Laser Science and Photonic Applications Systems Technologies, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, 2007), paper CThP3.
- B. Schmidt, Q. Xu, J. Shakya, S. Manipatruni, and M. Lipson, "Compact electro-optic modulator on silicon-on-insulator substrates using cavities with ultra-small modal volumes," Opt. Express 15, 3140-3148 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- M. Tinker and J. -B. Lee, "Thermal and optical simulation of a photonic crystal light modulator based on the thermo-optic shift of the cut-off frequency," Opt. Express 13, 7174-7188 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
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