6533b857fe1ef96bd12b5000
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Compact acousto-optic multimode interference device in (Al,Ga)As.
Klaus BiermannAndrés CantareroM. M. De LimaAbbes TahraouiPaulo V. SantosDominik D. BühlerAntonio Crespo-povedasubject
Materials sciencebusiness.industrySurface acoustic wavePhase (waves)02 engineering and technologyRefractive index profile021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology01 natural sciencesWaveguide (optics)Optical switchAtomic and Molecular Physics and Optics010309 opticsOpticsModulation0103 physical sciencesPhotonics0210 nano-technologybusinessElectronic circuitdescription
Multimode interference (MMI) devices are key components in modern integrated photonic circuits. Here, we present acoustically tuned optical switches on an (Al,Ga)As platform that enable robust, compact and fast response systems improving on recently demonstrated technology. The device consists of a 2 × 2 MMI device fine-tuned in its center region by a focused surface acoustic wave (SAW) beam working in the low GHz range. In this way, we can tune the refractive index profile over a narrow modulation region and thus control the optical switching behaviour via the applied SAW intensity. Direct tuning of the MMI device avoids losses and phase errors inherent to arrayed waveguide based switches, while also reducing the dimensions of the photonic circuit.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-11 | Optics express |