Power-Efficient Silicon Nitride Thermo-Optic Phase Shifters for Visible Light

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Zheng, Yong, Chen, Hong, Luo, Xianshu, Alperen Govdeli, Chua, Hongyao, Azadeh, Saeed S, Stalmashonak, Andrei, Guo-Qiang Lo, Poon, Joyce K S, Sacher, Wesley D
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 15.11.2021
• Subjects: Mach-Zehnder interferometers; Phase shifters; Physics - Applied Physics; Physics - Optics; Power consumption; Power management; Silicon nitride; Silicon wafers; Switches; Waveguides; Wavelengths
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2111.07890

We demonstrate power-efficient, thermo-optic, silicon nitride waveguide phase shifters for blue, green, and yellow wavelengths. The phase shifters operated with low power consumption due to a suspended structure and multi-pass waveguide design. The devices were fabricated on 200-mm silicon wafers using deep ultraviolet lithography as part of an active visible-light integrated photonics platform. The measured power consumption to achieve a \(\pi\) phase shift (averaged over multiple devices) was 0.78, 0.93, 1.09, and 1.20 mW at wavelengths of 445, 488, 532, and 561 nm, respectively. The phase shifters were integrated into Mach-Zehnder interferometer switches, and \(10- 90\)\% rise(fall) times of about 570(590) \(\mu\)s were measured.