Abstract

A low-loss and broadband silicon thermo-optic switch is proposed and demonstrated experimentally by using a Mach–Zehnder Interferometer with $2\times 2$ 3 dB power splitters based on bent directional couplers (DCs). The bent DCs are introduced here to replace the traditional $2\times 2$ 3 dB power splitters based on multimode interferometers or straight DCs, so that one achieves a coupling ratio of $\sim 50\%:50\%$, as well as low excess loss over a broadband. The demonstrated Mach–Zehnder switch (MZS) has a $\sim 140\mathrm{nm}$ bandwidth for an excess loss of $<1\mathrm{dB}$ and an extinction ratio of $>20\mathrm{dB}$. The present MZS also shows excellent reproducibility and good fabrication tolerance, which makes it promising for realizing $N\times N$ optical switches.

© 2016 Optical Society of America

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