Silicon photonic Bragg-grating couplers for optical communications

Wei Shi; Venkat Veerasubramanian; David V. Plant; Nicolas A. F. Jaeger; Lukas Chrostowski

doi:10.1117/12.2044096

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25 February 2014 Silicon photonic Bragg-grating couplers for optical communications

Wei Shi, Venkat Veerasubramanian, David V. Plant, Nicolas A. F. Jaeger, Lukas Chrostowski

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Proceedings Volume 9010, Next-Generation Optical Networks for Data Centers and Short-Reach Links; 90100F (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044096
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We discuss recent progress and challenges in realizing Bragg-grating devices on the submicron silicon-on-insulator platform for next-generation optical communications applications, such as on-chip optical interconnects and signal processing. In particular, we focus on grating-assisted, wavelength-selective couplers, known as contra-directional couplers (contra-DCs). In contrast to conventional two-port Bragg gratings operating in the reection mode, contra-DCs are four-port devices with very weak backreections and, therefore, can be easily integrated with other photonic components on a chip. In order to provide a reliable on-chip wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) solution for high-speed optical interconnects, we have developed high-performance add-drop filters and, furthermore, wavelength multiplexers/demultiplexers with combined advantages of at-top responses, low insertion loss (< 1 dB), and low crosstalk (< -23 dB). These WDM devices are ultra-compact and highly tolerant to temperature uctuations (up to ±50 °C), showing great potential for large-scale integration and low-power consumption. We further discuss a novel four-port Bragg photonic resonator for high-speed, low-power optical switching. Using a coupler-chirped design with uniform Bragg gratings, we have recently achieved an on-chip, continuously tunable photonic delay line with low insertion loss. These system-orientated devices indicate great potential for large-scale integration of Bragg-grating-defined functions using CMOS-compatible silicon photonics technology.

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Wei Shi, Venkat Veerasubramanian, David V. Plant, Nicolas A. F. Jaeger, and Lukas Chrostowski "Silicon photonic Bragg-grating couplers for optical communications", Proc. SPIE 9010, Next-Generation Optical Networks for Data Centers and Short-Reach Links, 90100F (25 February 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044096

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