Publications

Compact silicon photonic resonance-sssisted variable optical attenuator

Wang, Xiaoxi; Aguinaldo, Ryan; Lentine, Anthony L.; DeRose, Christopher T.; Starbuck, Andrew L.; Trotter, Douglas C.; Pomerene, Andrew P.; Mookherjea, Shayan

A two-part silicon photonic variable optical attenuator is demonstrated in a compact footprint which can provide a high extinction ratio at wavelengths between 1520 nm and 1620 nm. The device was made by following the conventional p-i-n waveguide section by a high-extinction-ratio second-order microring filter section. The rings provide additional on-off contrast by utilizing a thermal resonance shift, which harvested the heat dissipated by current injection in the p-i-n junction. We derive and discuss a simple thermal-resistance model in explanation of these effects.