PIN DIODE TUNED MULTIPLE RING WAVEGUIDE RESONANT OPTICAL CAVITY SWITCH AND METHOD

摘要

An optical switch structure and a method for fabricating the optical switch structure provide at least two ring waveguides located and formed supported over a substrate. At least one of the at least two ring waveguides includes at least one PIN diode integral with the ring waveguide as a tuning component for an optical switch device that derives from the optical switch structure. The PIN diode includes different doped silicon slab regions internal to and external to the ring waveguide, and an intrinsic region there between that includes the ring waveguide. The method uses two photolithographic process steps, and also preferably a silicon-on-insulator substrate, to provide the ring waveguides formed of a monocrystalline silicon semiconductor material.