Silicon Processors Using Organically Reconfigurable Techniques (SPORT)

摘要

The development of reconfigurable photonic circuitry has been pursued using Silicon waveguide networks, PIN diode-actuated photonic crystal switches, and low-voltage, high-frequency EO modulators based on organic materials. Processing advancements in these materials, such as a solution poling method (SPARC) offer new device formats, manufacturable processing, and decreased drive voltages. A proof-of-concept device architecture was fabricated and indicated that SPARC processing may afford deposition, poling and patterning OEOM waveguides in a single step. An all-polymer waveguide phase modulator was fabricated with Vpi = 1.67 V using 16 mm electrodes, and was found to be stable over 2,500 mWxhr of 1550 nm irradiation at 25 deg C in air. Dual-slot hybrid silicon/organic modulators in two architectures, both vertical and horizontal, have been fabricated. The vertical configuration modulator has yielded a Vpi x L = 0.33 Vxcm. An etch-based process for producing nanoscale slot modulators was developed. A reconfigurable photonic switch network was produced, resulting in a 32 micron slow light-based photonic crystal switch with a group index of 92, maintaining bandwidth for data rates exceeding 350 Gb/s. Switches were fabricated with PIN diodes for actuation, showing reconfiguration speeds with rise and fall times of 14 ns and 11 ns respectively.