An overview is presented of the current state-of-the-art in silicon nanophotonic ring resonators. Basic theory of ring resonators is discussed, and applied to the peculiarities of submicron silicon photonic wire waveguides: the small dimensions and tight bend radii, sensitivity to perturbations and the boundary conditions of the fabrication processes. Theory is compared to quantitative measurements. Finally, several of the more promising applications of silicon ring resonators are discussed: filters and optical delay lines, label-free biosensors, and active rings for efficient modulators and even light sources.

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Silicon microring resonators

On-chip optical buffers based on waveguide delay lines might have significant implications for the development of optical interconnects in computer systems. Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) submicrometre photonic wire waveguides are used, because they can provide strong light confinement at the diffraction limit, allowing dramatic scaling of device size. Here we report on-chip optical delay lines based on such waveguides that consist of up to 100 microring resonators cascaded in either coupled-resonator or all-pass filter (APF) configurations. On-chip group delays exceeding 500 ps are demonstrated in a device with a footprint below 0.09 mm2. The trade-offs between resonantly enhanced group delay, device size, insertion loss and operational bandwidth are analysed for various delay-line designs. A large fractional group delay exceeding 10 bits is achieved for bit rates as high as 20 Gbps. Measurements of system-level metrics as bit error rates for different bit rates demonstrate error-free operation up to 5 Gbps.

Ultracompact optical buffers on a silicon chip

Driven by the increasing demand on handing microwave signals with compact device, low power consumption, high efficiency and high reliability, it is highly desired to generate, distribute, and process microwave signals using photonic integrated circuits. Silicon photonics offers a promising platform facilitating ultracompact microwave photonic signal processing assisted by silicon nanophotonic devices. In this paper, we propose, theoretically analyze and experimentally demonstrate a simple scheme to realize ultracompact rejection ratio tunable notch microwave photonic filter (MPF) based on a silicon photonic crystal (PhC) nanocavity with fixed extinction ratio. Using a conventional modulation scheme with only a single phase modulator (PM), the rejection ratio of the presented MPF can be tuned from about 10 dB to beyond 60 dB. Moreover, the central frequency tunable operation in the high rejection ratio region is also demonstrated in the experiment.

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Photonic crystal nanocavity assisted rejection ratio tunable notch microwave photonic filter

From the Publisher:
A Unique, Cutting-Edge Approach to Optical Filter Design With more and more information being transmitted over fiber-optic lines, optical filtering has become crucial to the advanced functionality of todays communications networks. Helping researchers and engineers keep pace with this rapidly evolving technology, this book presents digital processing techniques for optical filter design. This higher-level approach focuses on filter characteristics and enables readers to quickly calculate the filter response as well as tackle larger and more complex filters. The authors incorporate numerous theoretical and experimental results from the literature and discuss applications to a variety of systemsincluding the new wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology, which is fast becoming the preferred method for system upgrade and expansion. Special features of this book include:
*The theory underlying various architectures that can approximate any filter function
*Filter design techniques applicable to a broad range of materials systemsfrom silica to fiber to microelectromechanical (MEM) systems
*Design examples relevant to filters for WDM systems and planar waveguide devices
*250 figures as well as problem sets for use in graduate-level studies

Optical Filter Design and Analysis: A Signal Processing Approach

Microwave photonics (MWP) is an emerging field in which radio frequency (RF) signals are generated, distributed, processed and analyzed using the strength of photonic techniques. It is a technology that enables various functionalities which are not feasible to achieve only in the microwave domain. A particular aspect that recently gains significant interests is the use of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology in the MWP field for enhanced functionalities and robustness as well as the reduction of size, weight, cost and power consumption. This article reviews the recent advances in this emerging field which is dubbed as integrated microwave photonics. Key integrated MWP technologies are reviewed and the prospective of the field is discussed.

Integrated microwave photonics

Optical Filter Design and Analysis

Optical delay lines have some important applications, notably in optical communication systems and in phased arrays. These devices are based on the concept of optical group delay, which, in turn, can be understood as the property of an optical filter. Optical filters are well-understood devices and, in particular, their dispersive properties determine the group delay response. We review these dispersive properties and point out some of the inherent tradeoffs involved in generating large group delay. Fiber Bragg gratings and recent results on optical all-pass filters are used as examples.

Optical delay lines based on optical filters

Lossless all-pass optical filters are introduced, which can approximate any desired phase response while maintaining a constant, unity amplitude response. Architectures using cascade and lattice structures based on ring resonators and cavities defined by reflectors are discussed. Two applications are presented: 1) for fiber dispersion compensation and 2) for compensation of the nonlinear phase response of narrow bandpass optical filters such as thin-film or Bragg grating filters. All orders of dispersion can be compensated in principle, and the filters are periodic so multiple channels can be compensated with a single device. The architectures are very compact compared to alternatives such as chirped Bragg gratings.

Optical all-pass filters for phase response design with applications for dispersion compensation

New integrated optical all-pass filters are presented that can be used for tunable dispersion compensation, dispersion slope compensation, and as building blocks in tunable bandpass filters. The dispersion slope compensation capability is demonstrated using ring resonators in /spl Delta/=2% Ge-doped silica planar waveguides. In addition, a tunable four-stage filter with free-spectral range (FSR)=25 GHz, a passband width of 14 GHz (0.56/spl times/FSR), and D=1800 ps/nm is reported.

Integrated all-pass filters for tunable dispersion and dispersion slope compensation

Wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) communication systems invariably require good optical filters meeting stringent requirements on their amplitude response, the ideal being a perfectly rectangular filter. To achieve high bandwidth utilization, the phase response of these filters is of equal importance, with the ideal filter having perfectly linear phase and therefore constant time delay and no dispersion. This aspect of optical filters for WDM systems has not received much attention until very recently. It is the objective of this paper to consider the phase response and resulting dispersion of optical filters in general and their impact on WDM system performance. To this end we use general concepts from linear systems, in particular, minimum and nonminimum phase response and the applicability of Hilbert transforms (also known as Kramers-Kronig relations). We analyze three different classes of optical filters, which are currently being used in WDM systems and compare their performance in terms of their phase response. Finally, we consider possible ways of linearizing the phase response without affecting the amplitude response, in an attempt to approximate the ideal filter and achieve the highest bandwidth utilization.

Christi K. Madsen

Papers

Optical Filter Design and Analysis

Optical delay lines based on optical filters

Optical all-pass filters for phase response design with applications for dispersion compensation

Integrated all-pass filters for tunable dispersion and dispersion slope compensation

Dispersive properties of optical filters for WDM systems