High-performance modulators and switches for silicon photonic networks-on-chip

The stringent on-and off-chip communications demands of future-generation chip multiprocessors require innovative and potentially disruptive technology solutions, such as chip-scale photonic transmission systems. A space-switched, wavelength-parallel photonic network-on-chip has been shown to equip users with high-bandwidth, low-latency links in an energy-efficient manner. Here, experimental measurements on fabricated silicon photonic devices verify a large set of the components needed to construct these networks. The proposed system architecture is reviewed to motivate the demanding performance requirements of the components. Then, systems-level investigations are delineated for multiwavelength electrooptic modulators and photonic switching elements arranged in 1 × 2, 2 × 2, and 4 × 4 formations. Compact ( ∼10 μm), high-speed (4 Gb/s) modulators, having a large degree of channel scalability (four channels demonstrated), are demonstrated with excellent data integrity (bit error (BERs)10-12). Meanwhile, switches are shown to transfer extensive throughput bandwidths (250 Gb/s) with fast switching speeds (1 ns) and sufficient extinction ratios (≥10 dB). Data integrity is also verified for the switches (BERs ≤10-12) with power penalty measurements amid dynamic operation. These network component demonstrations verify the feasibility of the proposed system architecture, while previous works have verified its efficacy. © 2006 IEEE.