302 research outputs found
Silicon-organic hybrid electro-optical devices
Organic materials combined with strongly guiding silicon waveguides open the route to highly efficient electro-optical devices. Modulators based on the so-called silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) platform have only recently shown frequency responses up to 100 GHz, high-speed operation beyond 112 Gbit/s with fJ/bit power consumption. In this paper, we review the SOH platform and discuss important devices such as Mach-Zehnder and IQ-modulators based on the linear electro-optic effect. We further show liquid-crystal phase-shifters with a voltage-length product as low as V pi L = 0.06 V.mm and sub-mu W power consumption as required for slow optical switching or tuning optical filters and devices
Toward a new generation of photonic devices based on the integration of metal oxides in silicon technology
[ES] La búsqueda de nuevas soluciones e ideas innovadoras en el campo de la fotónica de silicio mediante la integración de nuevos materiales con prestaciones únicas es un tema de alta actualidad entre la comunidad científica en fotónica y con un impacto potencial muy alto. Dentro de esta temática, esta tesis pretende contribuir hacia una nueva generación de dispositivos fotónicos basados en la integración de óxidos metálicos en tecnología de silicio. Los óxidos metálicos elegidos pertenecen a la familia de óxidos conductores transparentes (TCO), concretamente el óxido de indio y estaño (ITO) y el óxido de cadmio (CdO), y materiales de cambio de fase (PCM) como el dióxido de vanadio (VO2). Dichos materiales se caracterizan especialmente por una variación drástica de sus propiedades optoelectrónicas, tales como la resistividad o el índice de refracción, frente a un estímulo externo ya sea en forma de temperatura, aplicación de un campo eléctrico o excitación óptica. De esta forma, nuestro objetivo es diseñar, fabricar y demostrar experimentalmente nuevas soluciones y dispositivos clave tales como dispositivos no volátiles, desfasadores y dispositivos con no linealidad óptica. Tales dispositivos podrían encontrar potencial utilidad en diversas aplicaciones que comprenden las comunicaciones ópticas, redes neuronales, LiDAR, computación, cuántica, entre otros. Las prestaciones clave en las que se pretende dar un salto disruptivo son el tamaño y capacidad para una alta densidad de integración, el consumo de potencia, y el ancho de banda.[CA] La recerca de noves solucions i idees innovadores al camp de la fotònica de silici mitjançant la integració de nous materials amb prestacions úniques és un tema d'alta actualitat entre la comunitat científica en fotònica i amb un impacte potencial molt alt. D'aquesta temàtica, aquesta tesi pretén contribuir cap a una nova generació de dispositius fotònics basats en la integració d'òxids metàl·lics en tecnologia de silici. Els òxids metàl·lics elegits pertanyen a la família d'òxids conductors transparents (TCO), concretament l'òxid d'indi i estany (ITO) i l'òxid de cadmi (CdO), i materials de canvi de fase (PCM) com el diòxid de vanadi (VO2). Aquests materials es caracteritzen especialment per una variació dràstica de les propietats optoelectròniques, com ara la resistivitat o l'índex de refracció, davant d'un estímul extern ja siga en forma de temperatura, aplicació d'un camp elèctric o excitació òptica. D'aquesta manera, el nostre objectiu és dissenyar, fabricar i demostrar experimentalment noves solucions i dispositius clau com ara dispositius no volàtils, desfasadors i dispositius amb no-linealitat òptica. Aquests dispositius podrien trobar potencial utilitat en diverses aplicacions que comprenen les comunicacions òptiques, xarxes neuronals, LiDAR, computació, quàntica, entre d'altres. Les prestacions clau en què es pretén fer un salt disruptiu són la grandària i la capacitat per a una alta densitat d'integració, el consum de potència i l'amplada de banda.[EN] The search for new solutions and innovative ideas in the field of silicon photonics through the integration of new materials featuring unique optoelectronic properties is a hot topic among the photonics scientific community with a very high potential impact. Within this topic, this thesis aims to contribute to a new generation of photonic devices based on the integration of metal oxides in silicon technology. The chosen metal oxides belong to the family of transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), namely indium tin oxide (ITO) and cadmium oxide (CdO), and phase change materials (PCMs) such as vanadium dioxide (VO2). These materials are characterized by a drastic variation of their optoelectronic properties, such as resistivity or refractive index, in response to an external stimulus either in the form of temperature, application of an electric field, or optical excitation. Therefore, our objective is to design, fabricate and experimentally demonstrate new solutions and key devices such as non-volatile devices, phase shifters, and devices with optical nonlinearity. Such devices could find potential utility in several applications, including optical communications, neural networks, LiDAR, computing, and quantum. The key features in which we aim to take a leapfrog are footprint and capacity for high integration density, power consumption, and bandwidth.This work is supported in part by grants ACIF/2018/172 funded by Generaliltat Valenciana, and FPU17/04224 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ESF Investing in your future”.Parra Gómez, J. (2022). Toward a new generation of photonic devices based on the integration of metal oxides in silicon technology [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/19088
Interferometric switches for transparent networks : development and integration
Magneto-optic devices are a potential enabler of better scaling, transparent networks that are bit-rate, protocol and format insensitive. Transparency is critical given the paradigm shift from connection-oriented communications to IP-centric packet switched data traffic driven by the influx of high bandwidth applications. This is made more urgent by the large and growing optical-electronic bandwidth mismatch as well as the rapid approach of device dimensions to the quantum limit.
Fiber-based switches utilizing bismuth-substituted iron garnets as Faraday rotators in Mach-Zehnder and Sagnac interferometer configurations are proposed, analyzed and characterized. The issues and limitations of these switches are investigated and efforts are undertaken to model and optimize the field generating coil impedance parameters. While alleviating the concerns associated with free-space switches and being compatible with contemporary optical networks, the performance of the fiber-based interferometric switches is still below theoretical limits and could be improved. Moreover, the discrete components of a fiber-based implementation engender scalability concerns.
In keeping with the spirit of Richard Feynman\u27s lectures, the maturity of planar lithographic techniques that are widely used in microelectronics is leveraged to realize integrated versions of the fiber-based interferometric switches. The design, analysis, fabrication and characterization of these integrated switches are detailed herein, including the selection of a suitable material system, design of the waveguide geometry, creation and calibration of a fabrication process based on direct-write scanning electron-beam lithography as well as determination of the switches\u27 fabrication tolerance.
While the larger waveguide cross-section of the microphotonic switches enables efficient coupling to fiber and greatly reduces geometrical birefringence, the weak confinement results in longer device lengths. Moreover, the small but finite birefringence induces some polarization dependence in switch performance. Consequently, compact and nominally non-birefringent nanophotonic versions of the interferometric switches are proposed and analyzed in the interest of further improving switch performance and scalability
High-speed, low-power optical modulators in silicon
Silicon modulators are maturing and it is anticipated that they are going to substitute state-of-the art modulators. We review current silicon modulator approaches and then discuss the silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) approach in more detail. The SOH approach has recently enabled the operation with an energy consumption of 60 fJ/bit and demonstrated the generation of up to 112 Gbit/s per polarization in a compact silicon modulator of 1.5 mm length
Hybrid photonic integrated circuits for neuromorphic computing [Invited]
The burgeoning of artificial intelligence has brought great convenience to people’s lives as large-scale computational models have emerged. Artificial intelligence-related applications, such as autonomous driving, medical diagnosis, and speech recognition, have experienced remarkable progress in recent years; however, such systems require vast amounts of data for accurate inference and reliable performance, presenting challenges in both speed and power consumption. Neuromorphic computing based on photonic integrated circuits (PICs) is currently a subject of interest to achieve high-speed, energy-efficient, and low-latency data processing to alleviate some of these challenges. Herein, we present an overview of the current photonic platforms available, the materials which have the potential to be integrated with PICs to achieve further performance, and recent progress in hybrid devices for neuromorphic computing
Roadmapping the Next Generation of Silicon Photonics
Silicon photonics has developed into a mainstream technology driven by
advances in optical communications. The current generation has led to a
proliferation of integrated photonic devices from thousands to millions -
mainly in the form of communication transceivers for data centers. Products in
many exciting applications, such as sensing and computing, are around the
corner. What will it take to increase the proliferation of silicon photonics
from millions to billions of units shipped? What will the next generation of
silicon photonics look like? What are the common threads in the integration and
fabrication bottlenecks that silicon photonic applications face, and which
emerging technologies can solve them? This perspective article is an attempt to
answer such questions. We chart the generational trends in silicon photonics
technology, drawing parallels from the generational definitions of CMOS
technology. We identify the crucial challenges that must be solved to make
giant strides in CMOS-foundry-compatible devices, circuits, integration, and
packaging. We identify challenges critical to the next generation of systems
and applications - in communication, signal processing, and sensing. By
identifying and summarizing such challenges and opportunities, we aim to
stimulate further research on devices, circuits, and systems for the silicon
photonics ecosystem
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Silicon - polymer hybrid integrated microwave photonic devices for optical interconnects and electromagnetic wave detection
textThe accelerating increase in information traffic demands the expansion of optical access network systems that require high-performance optical and photonic components. In short-range communication links, optical interconnects have been widely accepted as a viable approach to solve the problems that copper based electrical interconnects have encountered in keeping up with the surge in the data rate demand over the last decades. Low cost, ease of fabrication, and integration capabilities of low optical-loss polymers make them attractive for integrated photonic applications to support futuristic data communication networks. In addition to passive wave-guiding components, electro-optic (EO) polymers consisting of a polymeric matrix doped with organic nonlinear chromophores have enabled wide-RF-bandwidth and low-power active photonic devices. Beside board level passive and active optical components, on-chip micro- or nano-photonic devices have been made possible by the hybrid integration of EO polymers onto the silicon platform. In recent years, silicon photonics have attracted a significant amount of attentions, because it offers compact device size and the potential of complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) compatible photonic integrated circuits. The combination of silicon photonics and EO polymers can enable miniaturized and high-performance hybrid integrated photonic devices, such as electro-optic modulators, optical interconnects, and microwave photonic sensors. Silicon photonic crystal waveguides (PCWs) exhibit slow-light effects which are beneficial for device miniaturization. Especially, EO polymer filled silicon slotted PCWs further reduce the device size and enhance the device performance by combining the best of these two systems. The potential applications of these silicon-polymer hybrid integrated devices include not only optical interconnects, but also optical sensing and microwave photonics. In this dissertation, the design, fabrication, and characterization of several types of silicon-polymer hybrid photonic devices will be presented, including EO polymer filled silicon PCW modulators for on-chip optical interconnects, antenna-coupled optical modulators for electromagnetic wave detections, and low-loss strip-to-slot PCW mode converters. In addition, some polymer-based devices and silicon-based photonic devices will also be presented, such as traveling wave electro-optic polymer modulators based on domain-inversion directional couplers, and silicon thermo-optic switches based on coupled photonic crystal microcavities. Furthermore, some microwave (or RF) components such as integrated broadband bowtie antennas for microwave photonic applications will be covered. Some on-going work or suggested future work will also be introduced, including in-device pyroelectric poling for EO polymer filled silicon slot PCWs, millimeter- or Terahertz-wave sensors based on EO polymer filled plasmonic slot waveguide, low-loss silicon-polymer hybrid slot photonic crystal waveguides fabricated by CMOS foundry, logic devices based on EO polymer microring resonators, and so on.Electrical and Computer Engineerin
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