Design, fabrication, and characterization of a two-dimensional photonic-crystal symmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer for optical integrated circuits
- 30 March 2005
- journal article
- Published by AIP Publishing in Applied Physics Letters
- Vol. 86 (14), 141104
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1898431
Abstract
We report on the design, fabrication, and optical characterization of a GaAs two-dimensional photonic-crystal-based symmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer (PC-SMZ) aimed at all-optical switches in planar photonic integrated systems. The directional couplers that constitute the PC-SMZ interferometer prevent the occurrence of ring resonance which degrades the interference, and allow control pulses for the switching operation to be received. We show 50%- and 100%-power couplings from the transmission characteristics of the directional couplers, thus demonstrating their operation as 3-dB dividers in the PC-SMZ. We also show experimentally wavelength selectivity between signal and control pulses with a separation of . These results indicate that the structure is promising as an all-optical switch when a nonlinear material such as a quantum dot is introduced into both arms of the interferometer.
Keywords
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