Si3N4 photonic integration platform at 1 µm for optical interconnects
Journal article, 2020

Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are the predominant technology for high-speed short-range interconnects in data centers. Most short-range interconnects rely on GaAs-based multi-mode VCSELs and multi-mode fiber links operating at 850 nm. Recently, GaAs-based high-speed single-mode VCSELs at wavelengths > 1 µm have been demonstrated, which increases the interconnect reach using a single-mode fiber while maintaining low energy dissipation. If a suitable platform for passive wavelength- and space-multiplexing were developed in this wavelength range, this single-mode technology could deliver the multi-Tb/s interconnect capacity that will be required in future data centers. In this work, we show the first passive Si3N4 platform in the 1-µm band (1030-1075 nm) with an equivalent loss < 0.3 dB/cm, which is compatible with the system requirements of high-capacity interconnects. The waveguide structure is optimized to achieve simultaneously single-mode operation and low bending radius, and we demonstrate a wide range of high-performance building blocks, including arrayed waveguide gratings, Mach-Zehnder interferometers, splitters and low-loss fiber interfaces. This technology could be instrumental in scaling up the capacity and reducing the footprint of VCSEL-based optical interconnects and, thanks to the broad transparency in the near-infrared and compatibility with the Yb fiber amplifier window, enabling new applications in other domains as optical microscopy and nonlinear optics.

Author

Xiaonan Hu

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Photonics

Marcello Girardi

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Photonics

Zhichao Ye

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Photonics

Pascual Muñoz

Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV)

Anders Larsson

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Photonics

Victor Torres Company

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Photonics

Optics Express

1094-4087 (ISSN) 10944087 (eISSN)

Vol. 28 9 13019-13031

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Other Physics Topics

Communication Systems

DOI

10.1364/OE.386494

More information

Latest update

2/17/2021