Low-Power Optical Interconnects based on Resonant Silicon Photonic Devices: Recent Advances and Challenges

The progressive blooming of silicon photonics technology (SiP) over the last decade has indicated that optical interconnects may substitute the electrical wires for data movement over short distances in the future. A key enabler is the resonant structures that can participate in both modulation and demultiplexing of a high throughput wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) photonic link. The optical and electro-optical properties of such devices are subject to various design considerations, operation conditions, and optimization procedures. We present recent technological advances in photonic links based on resonant structures and highlight the key challenges that must be overcome at a large scale. Furthermore, we discuss how the design space of these resonant devices, down to the geometrical parameters and fabrication errors, can affect the performance and reliability of a photonic link.