All-optical switching in silicon-on-insulator photonic wire nano-cavities

作者：Belotti Michele^*; Galli Matteo; Gerace Dario; Andreani Lucio Claudio; Guizzetti Giorgio; Zain Ahmad R Md; Johnson Nigel P; Sorel Marc; De la Rue Richard M

来源：Optics Express, 2010, 18(2): 1450-1461.

DOI：10.1364/OE.18.001450

We report on experimental demonstration of all-optical switching in a silicon-on-insulator photonic wire nanocavity operating at telecom wavelengths. The switching is performed with a control pulse energy as low as similar to 0.1 pJ on a cavity device that presents very high signal transmission, an ultra-high quality-factor, almost diffraction-limited modal volume and a footprint of only 5 mu m(2). High-speed modulation of the cavity mode is achieved by means of optical injection of free carriers using a nanosecond pulsed laser. Experimental results are interpreted by means of finite-difference time-domain simulations. The possibility of using this device as a logic gate is also demonstrated.

• 出版日期2010-1-18