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

Optically reconfigurable 1 x 4 remote node switch for access networks

In this paper we demonstrate an optically controlled 1 x 4 remote node switch, based on membrane InP switches bonded to a silicon-on-insulator circuit. We show that the switch exhibits cross talk better than 25 dB between the output ports, and that the switch operates without receiver sensitivity penalty. Furthermore, the proposed switch architecture allows for optical clock distribution as a means to avoid the need for clock recovery at the receiver side. This is demonstrated in a proof-of-principle experiment where data and clock are sent through a single membrane InP switch

Strategies to increase the modal gain in heterogeneously integrated III-V amplifiers on silicon-on-insulator

A novel waveguide shape is proposed to take advantage of the high index contrast in adhesively bonded III-V on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides for application in on-chip semiconductor optical amplifiers. By decreasing the effective index of the top contact layer, the confinement in the active region can be increased by 70%, boosting the achievable modal gain and reducing the required device length to achieve a certain gain. This technique could reduce the footprint of amplifiers, lasers and other active devices integrated on the SOI platform

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