Open AccessLow-power, 2×2 silicon electro-optic switch with 110-nm bandwidth for broadband reconfigurable optical networks
Author(s) -
Joris Van Campenhout,
William M. J. Green,
Solomon Assefa,
Yurii A. Vlasov
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.17.024020
Subject(s) - optical switch , broadband , materials science , optoelectronics , bandwidth (computing) , optics , silicon , switching time , voltage , crosstalk , cmos , physics , electrical engineering , telecommunications , computer science , engineering
We present an ultra-broadband Mach-Zehnder based optical switch in silicon, electrically driven through carrier injection. Crosstalk levels lower than -17 dB are obtained for both the 'on' and 'off' switching states over an optical bandwidth of 110 nm, owing to the implementation of broadband 50% couplers. Full 2 x 2 switching functionality is demonstrated, with low power consumption (approximately 3 mW) and a fast switching time (< 4 ns). The utilization of standard CMOS metallization results in a low drive voltage (approximately 1 V) and a record-low V(pi)L (approximately 0.06 V x mm). The wide optical bandwidth is maintained for temperature variations up to 30 K.