Open AccessCarrier and thermal dynamics of silicon photonic resonators at cryogenic temperatures
Author(s) -
Wolfram H. P. Pernice,
Carsten Schuck,
Mo Li,
Hong X. Tang
Publication year - 2011
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.19.003290
Subject(s) - materials science , silicon , resonator , photonics , optoelectronics , silicon photonics , optics , absorption (acoustics) , photonic integrated circuit , thermal , free carrier absorption , relaxation (psychology) , physics , psychology , social psychology , meteorology , composite material
We describe measurement results of silicon photonic circuits at cryogenic temperatures. The interplay between optically induced heating and free carrier dynamics in nano-photonic ring resonators is investigated at temperatures down to 1.8 K. We find that the life-time of free carriers generated by two-photon absorption in silicon waveguides is reduced from 1.9 ns at room temperature to less than 100 ps below 10K. At the same time the thermal relaxation time is significantly elongated. Our work provides the first cryogenic measurement of ultra-short free-carrier lifetimes in silicon waveguides. The results further indicate that integrated optical chips can be easily thermo-optically stabilized at low temperatures.