An All-Silicon Passive Optical Diode

Author

• Li Fan, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue UniversityFollow
• Jian Wang, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
• Leo T. Varghese, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue UniversityFollow
• Hao Shen, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue UniversityFollow
• Ben Niu, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue UniversityFollow
• Yi Xuan, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue UniversityFollow
• Andrew M. Weiner, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue UniversityFollow
• Minghao Qi, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue UniversityFollow

Abstract

A passive optical diode effect would be useful for on-chip optical information processing but has been difficult to achieve. Using a method based on optical nonlinearity, we demonstrate a forward-backward transmission ratio of up to 28 decibels within telecommunication wavelengths. Our device, which uses two silicon rings 5 micrometers in radius, is passive yet maintains optical nonreciprocity for a broad range of input power levels, and it performs equally well even if the backward input power is higher than the forward input. The silicon optical diode is ultracompact and is compatible with current complementary metal-oxide semiconductor processing.

Keywords

WAVE-GUIDES; RING RESONATORS; BISTABILITY; CHIP; NONLINEARITIES; PROPAGATION; ISOLATOR; FILTERS; FIBER

DOI

10.1126/science.1214383

Citation

Science 27 Jan 2012: Vol. 335, Issue 6067, pp. 447-450

Date of this Version

1-27-2012

Recommended Citation

Fan, Li; Wang, Jian; Varghese, Leo T.; Shen, Hao; Niu, Ben; Xuan, Yi; Weiner, Andrew M.; and Qi, Minghao, "An All-Silicon Passive Optical Diode" (2012). Birck and NCN Publications. Paper 1258.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1214383