Open AccessSymmetrical 1x2 digital photonic splitting switch with low electrical power consumption in SiGe waveguides
Author(s) -
Baojun Li,
Yao Zhang,
Lihua Teng,
Yang Zhao,
Soo-Jin Chua,
Xiang Rong Wang
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.13.000654
Subject(s) - optics , materials science , insertion loss , voltage , optical switch , optoelectronics , wavelength , photonics , silicon , power consumption , silicon photonics , power (physics) , electrical engineering , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics
A symmetrical digital photonic splitting switch with a low insertion loss and a low driving voltage is developed using carrier injection in a silicon-germanium material for optical communication systems and networks at a wavelength of 1.55 mum. The switch structure has been improved based on a traditional 1x2 Y-shaped configuration by using two widened carrier injection regions. The switch has a threshold voltage of 1.0 V and a corresponding threshold current of 85 mA on one of the two output waveguide arms. The calculated driving current density is 5.7 kA/cm2 and the calculated power consumption is 85 mW at the 85 mA of threshold current. The measured insertion loss and the crosstalk are 5.2 dB and -9.6 dB, respectively, at driving voltage over 2 V.