Function-Versatile Thermo-Optic Switch Using Silicon Nitride Waveguide in Polymer
A function-versatile thermo-optic switch is proposed and experimentally demonstrated using silicon nitride waveguides embedded in polymer cladding. The device consists of a 1 × 2 input splitter, 2 single-mode waveguides for phase shifting, and a thermally controlled 2 × 2 output coupler to give anot...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Photonics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/3/277 |
| _version_ | 1827748017079320576 |
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| author | Tao Chen Zhenming Ding Zhangqi Dang Xinhong Jiang Ziyang Zhang |
| author_facet | Tao Chen Zhenming Ding Zhangqi Dang Xinhong Jiang Ziyang Zhang |
| author_sort | Tao Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A function-versatile thermo-optic switch is proposed and experimentally demonstrated using silicon nitride waveguides embedded in polymer cladding. The device consists of a 1 × 2 input splitter, 2 single-mode waveguides for phase shifting, and a thermally controlled 2 × 2 output coupler to give another degree of freedom in achieving phase-matching conditions. Combining the high waveguide birefringence of the thin silicon nitride waveguide and the excellent thermo-optic property of the polymer material, this device can realize multiple functions by applying different micro-heater powers, i.e., polarization-independent path switching, beam splitting, and polarization beam splitting. For the polarization-independent path switching, the fabricated device has shown a crosstalk suppression better than 10 dB for the TE mode and over 20 dB for the TM mode in the wavelength range from 1500 nm to 1620 nm. For the polarization beam splitting function, the device can reach a polarization extinction ratio greater than 10 dB at selected bands. This simple yet scalable device may find applications in polarization-multiplexed optical communication technology and complex photonic computing networks. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:01:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-88c6e0cc4b5a49478a7f2a847b0608ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-6732 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:01:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Photonics |
| spelling | doaj.art-88c6e0cc4b5a49478a7f2a847b0608ef2023-11-17T13:18:46ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322023-03-0110327710.3390/photonics10030277Function-Versatile Thermo-Optic Switch Using Silicon Nitride Waveguide in PolymerTao Chen0Zhenming Ding1Zhangqi Dang2Xinhong Jiang3Ziyang Zhang4Laboratory of Photonic Integration, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, ChinaLaboratory of Photonic Integration, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, ChinaLaboratory of Photonic Integration, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, ChinaLaboratory of Photonic Integration, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, ChinaLaboratory of Photonic Integration, School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, ChinaA function-versatile thermo-optic switch is proposed and experimentally demonstrated using silicon nitride waveguides embedded in polymer cladding. The device consists of a 1 × 2 input splitter, 2 single-mode waveguides for phase shifting, and a thermally controlled 2 × 2 output coupler to give another degree of freedom in achieving phase-matching conditions. Combining the high waveguide birefringence of the thin silicon nitride waveguide and the excellent thermo-optic property of the polymer material, this device can realize multiple functions by applying different micro-heater powers, i.e., polarization-independent path switching, beam splitting, and polarization beam splitting. For the polarization-independent path switching, the fabricated device has shown a crosstalk suppression better than 10 dB for the TE mode and over 20 dB for the TM mode in the wavelength range from 1500 nm to 1620 nm. For the polarization beam splitting function, the device can reach a polarization extinction ratio greater than 10 dB at selected bands. This simple yet scalable device may find applications in polarization-multiplexed optical communication technology and complex photonic computing networks.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/3/277optical switchessilicon nitrideMach–Zehnder interferometermultimode waveguidethermo-optic effect |
| spellingShingle | Tao Chen Zhenming Ding Zhangqi Dang Xinhong Jiang Ziyang Zhang Function-Versatile Thermo-Optic Switch Using Silicon Nitride Waveguide in Polymer Photonics optical switches silicon nitride Mach–Zehnder interferometer multimode waveguide thermo-optic effect |
| title | Function-Versatile Thermo-Optic Switch Using Silicon Nitride Waveguide in Polymer |
| title_full | Function-Versatile Thermo-Optic Switch Using Silicon Nitride Waveguide in Polymer |
| title_fullStr | Function-Versatile Thermo-Optic Switch Using Silicon Nitride Waveguide in Polymer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Function-Versatile Thermo-Optic Switch Using Silicon Nitride Waveguide in Polymer |
| title_short | Function-Versatile Thermo-Optic Switch Using Silicon Nitride Waveguide in Polymer |
| title_sort | function versatile thermo optic switch using silicon nitride waveguide in polymer |
| topic | optical switches silicon nitride Mach–Zehnder interferometer multimode waveguide thermo-optic effect |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/3/277 |
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