Silicon Photonic Technology for Next Generation Compute Applications

目前和未来光子学的许多应用都需要高性能的光开关。在本项目中，正在开发两种在硅中实现低功率光开关的新方法。第一种是基于MEMS驱动的缝隙波导结构，该结构利用了波导有效折射率对其缝隙宽度的高灵敏度，该缝隙宽度可以随着电场的施加而改变。第二种方法是基于多通波导，该多通波导对多路光使用相同的调制区域，以缩短器件并降低功耗。

High performance optical switching is required for a number of current and future applications of photonics. In this project a two novel routes to achieve low power optical switching in silicon are being developed. The first is based upon a MEMS actuated slot waveguide structure which harnesses the high sensitivity of the waveguides effective index to its slot width which is changeable upon the application of an electric field. The second approach is based upon a multi-pass waveguide which uses the same modulation region for multiple passes of the light in order to shorten the device and reduce power consumption.