InP membrane based broadband regenerator for silicon-based optical interconnect applications

We demonstrate the use of a Membrane-InP-Switch(MIPS) on-silicon as a signal regenerator. A receiver sensitivity enhancement >2.5dB across the entire C-band and a tripling of Extinction Ratio(ER) for low ER signals at 1Gb/sec is demonstrated

Passive InP regenerator integrated on SOI for the support of broadband silicon modulators

Passive signal regeneration based on the Membrane InP Switch (MIPS) is demonstrated. Because of the high confinement of light in the active region of the MIPS, the device acts as a saturable absorber with a highly non-linear response. Using this effect, the extinction ratio (ER) of low-ER signals can be tripled and a receiver sensitivity enhancement of 4.5dB is demonstrated using an input signal at 1Gb/s with an ER of 2dB. Regenerator operation up to 5Gb/s is demonstrated and using a device simulator a strategy to reach higher bitrate operation is propose

All-optical membrane InP switch on silicon for access applications

Using an integrated membrane switch on SOI, optical clock distribution is achieved while all-optical switching of datapackets is maintained. Transmission through 25km SMF is demonstrated with 1.5dB penalty, limited by signal OSNR and pump extinction

Wide bandwidth LFM transmission through a wavelength-controlled photonic true time delay device

We demonstrate for the first time high quality wide bandwidth (600 MHz) LFM transmission through a wavelength-controlled photonic true time delay device with bandwidth-limited resolution and peak sidelobe level below -37 dB at 5 GHz

Membrane InP saturable absorbers on silicon as building blocks for transparent optical networks

As silicon photonics continues to gain research and industrial relevance, some of the building blocks in this technology such as modulators and switches still suffer from limitation when it comes to insertion losses and/or extinction ratio. In the past two years we have been investigating a promising new building block for silicon on insulator (SOI) circuits which is based on ultra-thin narrow stripes of InP bonded on top of SOI, which operate as saturable absorbers at very low optical power levels. The unique properties of these membrane InP switches (MIPS) make them ideally suitable as complementary components to SOI devices. By controlling the band gap of the active layers in the membrane as well as the confinement of light critical properties of such MIPS can be determined and tailored to specific applications. In this talk we will highlight two exciting applications of MIPS on SOI. First we will show how they enhance the performance of silicon based modulators by regenerating the signal through their non-linear response. Secondly we will show how they may solve a unique engineering challenge for next generation access networks by operating as optically controlled switches with high extinction ratio and no electrical power supply

Near-threshold high-order harmonic spectroscopy with aligned molecules

We study high-order harmonic generation in aligned molecules close to the ionization threshold. Two distinct contributions to the harmonic signal are observed, which show very different responses to molecular alignment and ellipticity of the driving field. We perform a classical electron trajectory analysis, taking into account the significant influence of the Coulomb potential on the strong-field-driven electron dynamics. The two contributions are related to primary ionization and excitation processes, offering a deeper understanding of the origin of high harmonics near the ionization threshold. This work shows that high harmonic spectroscopy can be extended to the near-threshold spectral range, which is in general spectroscopically rich.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure