High-speed optical switching of InAlGaAs/InAlAs multi-mode interference photonic switch with partial index-modulation region (MIPS-P)

Abstract

Advanced photonic networks require high-speed switching in nano-second order switching time, low power consumption and low crosstalk, etc. For these purposes we proposed a semiconductor multi-mode interference photonic switch with partial index-modulation regions (MIPS-P) which can operate by current injection for refractive index change and is expected as a high-speed optical switch. In this letter we have experimentally confirmed small-current and low-crosstalk operation by using InAlGaAs/InAlAs, which is effective for injected carrier confinement. And also high-speed switching operation in a switching time of about 1.5ns has been demonstrated, for the first time, at a repetition rate of 10MHz.