Ultrashort Photonic Crystal Optical Switch Actuated by a Microheater

Daryl M. Beggs; Thomas P. White; Lee Cairns; Liam O'Faolain; Thomas Fraser Krauss

doi:10.1109/LPT.2008.2008104

Ultrashort Photonic Crystal Optical Switch Actuated by a Microheater

Daryl M. Beggs, Thomas P. White, Lee Cairns, Liam O'Faolain, Thomas Fraser Krauss

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We demonstrate a silicon photonic crystal (PhC) optical switch with a 20-mu s response time controlled by a thermo-optic microheater. The switch consists of a dispersion engineered PhC directional coupler that is only 4.9 mu m long. Optical and electrical isolation is provided by backfilling the holes and embedding the PhC in a silca cladding to produce a vertically symmetric structure that is more robust than a membrane geometry. No increase in optical loss is observed due to the silica. cladding, despite operating above the lightline; the insertion loss for airbridge and silica embedded structures are comparable at 1-2 dB.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	24-26
Number of pages	3
Journal	IEEE Photonics Technology Letters
Volume	21
Issue number	1-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/LPT.2008.2008104
Publication status	Published - 2009

Keywords

Directional coupler
integrated optics
optical switching
photonic crystals (PhCs)
slow-light
WAVE-GUIDES
POWER
FREQUENCY
MODULATOR
COMPACT
LIGHT

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10.1109/LPT.2008.2008104

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title = "Ultrashort Photonic Crystal Optical Switch Actuated by a Microheater",

abstract = "We demonstrate a silicon photonic crystal (PhC) optical switch with a 20-mu s response time controlled by a thermo-optic microheater. The switch consists of a dispersion engineered PhC directional coupler that is only 4.9 mu m long. Optical and electrical isolation is provided by backfilling the holes and embedding the PhC in a silca cladding to produce a vertically symmetric structure that is more robust than a membrane geometry. No increase in optical loss is observed due to the silica. cladding, despite operating above the lightline; the insertion loss for airbridge and silica embedded structures are comparable at 1-2 dB.",

keywords = "Directional coupler, integrated optics, optical switching, photonic crystals (PhCs), slow-light, WAVE-GUIDES, POWER, FREQUENCY, MODULATOR, COMPACT, LIGHT",

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year = "2009",

doi = "10.1109/LPT.2008.2008104",

language = "English",

volume = "21",

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journal = "IEEE Photonics Technology Letters",

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AU - Beggs, Daryl M.

AU - White, Thomas P.

AU - Cairns, Lee

AU - O'Faolain, Liam

AU - Krauss, Thomas Fraser

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

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AB - We demonstrate a silicon photonic crystal (PhC) optical switch with a 20-mu s response time controlled by a thermo-optic microheater. The switch consists of a dispersion engineered PhC directional coupler that is only 4.9 mu m long. Optical and electrical isolation is provided by backfilling the holes and embedding the PhC in a silca cladding to produce a vertically symmetric structure that is more robust than a membrane geometry. No increase in optical loss is observed due to the silica. cladding, despite operating above the lightline; the insertion loss for airbridge and silica embedded structures are comparable at 1-2 dB.

KW - Directional coupler

KW - integrated optics

KW - optical switching

KW - photonic crystals (PhCs)

KW - slow-light

KW - WAVE-GUIDES

KW - POWER

KW - FREQUENCY

KW - MODULATOR

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KW - LIGHT

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EP - 26

JO - IEEE Photonics Technology Letters

JF - IEEE Photonics Technology Letters

IS - 1-4

ER -

Ultrashort Photonic Crystal Optical Switch Actuated by a Microheater

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