Ultra-Low Power All-Optically Tuned Hybrid Graphene Ultra Silicon-Rich Nitride Ring Resonator-Based Add-Drop Filter for DWDM Systems

Abstract

This research work conducted a design and simulation of an ultra-low power all-optically tuned nonlinear ring resonator-based add-drop filter. The purpose of this study is to investigate a CMOS-compatible nonlinear material system for an optical filter with temperature resilience, polarization insensitivity, and fast and energy-efficient tunability. The all-optical tunability was achieved using an optical pump that photo-excites the high nonlinear Kerr effect in the device material system. A three-dimensional multiphysics approach was used, combining the electromagnetics and thermo-structural effects in the filter. Hybrid graphene on an ultra-rich silicon nitride ring resonator-based filter enabled the realization of an ultra-high tuning efficiency (0.275 nm/mW for TE mode and 0.253 nm/mW for TM mode) on a range of 1.55 nm and thermal stability of 0.11 pm/K. This work contributed to the existing literature by proposing (1) the integration of a high Kerr effect layer on a low loss, high index contrast, and two-photon absorption-free core material with an athermal cladding material system and (2) the use of a cross-section shape insensitive to polarization. Moreover, the tuning mechanism contributed to the realization of an all-optical on-chip integrable filter for Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing systems in the less occupied L band.