Silicon erasable waveguides and directional couplers by germanium ion implantation for configurable photonic circuits

Optics Express
Xia ChenGraham T Reed

Abstract

A novel technique for realization of configurable/one-time programmable (OTP) silicon photonic circuits is presented. Once the proposed photonic circuit is programmed, its signal routing is retained without the need for additional power consumption. This technology can potentially enable a multi-purpose design of photonic chips for a range of different applications and performance requirements, as it can be programmed for each specific application after chip fabrication. Therefore, the production costs per chip can be reduced because of the increase in production volume, and rapid prototyping of new photonic circuits is enabled. Essential building blocks for the configurable circuits in the form of erasable directional couplers (DCs) were designed and fabricated, using ion implanted waveguides. We demonstrate permanent switching of optical signals between the drop port and through the port of the DCs using a localized post-fabrication laser annealing process. Proof-of-principle demonstrators in the form of generic 1×4 and 2×2 programmable switching circuits were fabricated and subsequently programmed.

References

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Oct 29, 2004·Nature·Vilson R AlmeidaMichal Lipson
Feb 5, 2007·Optics Express·Qianfan Xu, Michal Lipson
Sep 17, 2009·Optics Letters·Pablo SanchisJavier Martí
Jul 1, 2010·Optics Express·Yuya ShojiHiroshi Ishikawa
Apr 20, 2011·Optics Express·Goran Z MashanovichYoufang Hu
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Mar 26, 2014·Nature Communications·Kristof VandoornePeter Bienstman
Jul 15, 2015·Science·Jacques CarolanAnthony Laing
Sep 25, 2017·Nature Communications·Daniel PérezJosé Capmany

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