Ultralow-VπL Silicon Electro-Optic Directional Coupler Switch with a Liquid Crystal Cladding
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arXiv
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| Auteurs principaux: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Publié: |
2025
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| _version_ | 1866908456948072448 |
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| author | Chiang, Li-Yuan Wang, Chun-Ta Pappert, Steve Yu, Paul K. L. |
| author_facet | Chiang, Li-Yuan Wang, Chun-Ta Pappert, Steve Yu, Paul K. L. |
| contents | An ultralow-VπL photonic switch device is demonstrated utilizing the high optical and electrical field confinement in silicon slot waveguides coupled with the strong electro-optic response of nematic liquid crystals. A silicon photonic directional coupler switch with a modulation efficiency of 0.0195 Vmm and a loss-efficiency product of 0.0624 VdB is achieved. The 1.5 mm long device is based on two-mode interference within a single slot waveguide resulting in a Vπ of 0.013 V and an extinction ratio of ~ 9dB at 1550 nm wavelength. The power consumption of the photonic switch is estimated to be below 0.6 nW and it possesses a response time of <1.5 ms. A comparative performance study between the directional coupler switch and a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) switch is performed. The directional coupler switch is projected to have a smaller footprint and lower optical loss compared to a similar design MZI switch making it a strong candidate for switch matrix designs and applications. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_14729 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Ultralow-VπL Silicon Electro-Optic Directional Coupler Switch with a Liquid Crystal Cladding Chiang, Li-Yuan Wang, Chun-Ta Pappert, Steve Yu, Paul K. L. Optics Applied Physics An ultralow-VπL photonic switch device is demonstrated utilizing the high optical and electrical field confinement in silicon slot waveguides coupled with the strong electro-optic response of nematic liquid crystals. A silicon photonic directional coupler switch with a modulation efficiency of 0.0195 Vmm and a loss-efficiency product of 0.0624 VdB is achieved. The 1.5 mm long device is based on two-mode interference within a single slot waveguide resulting in a Vπ of 0.013 V and an extinction ratio of ~ 9dB at 1550 nm wavelength. The power consumption of the photonic switch is estimated to be below 0.6 nW and it possesses a response time of <1.5 ms. A comparative performance study between the directional coupler switch and a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) switch is performed. The directional coupler switch is projected to have a smaller footprint and lower optical loss compared to a similar design MZI switch making it a strong candidate for switch matrix designs and applications. |
| title | Ultralow-VπL Silicon Electro-Optic Directional Coupler Switch with a Liquid Crystal Cladding |
| topic | Optics Applied Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.14729 |