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We use a general theory to show a new class of bandpass filter shapes for coupled-resonator filters that provides the lowest insertion loss and the narrowest bandwidth achievable for a given intrinsic Q and bandwidth. 

We report on the design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of photonic crystal (PhC) nanobeam cavities with the smallest footprint, largest intrinsic quality factor, and smallest mode volume to be demonstrated to date in a monolithic CMOS platform. Two types of cavities were designed, with opposite spatial mode symmetries. The opposite mode symmetry, combined with evanescent coupling, allows the nanobeam cavities to be used in reflectionless topologies, desirable in complex photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The devices were implemented and fabricated in a 45 nm monolithic electronics–photonics CMOS platform optimized for silicon photonics (GlobalFoundries 45CLO) and do not require any post-processing. Quality factors exceeding 100 000 were measured for both devices, the highest, to the best of our knowledge, among fully cladded PhC nanobeam cavities in any silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. Additionally, the ability of the cavities to confine light into small mode volumes, of the order of (λ/n)³, was confirmed experimentally using near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). These types of cavities are an important step toward realizing ultra-low energy active devices required for the next generation of integrated optical links beyond the current microring resonator-based links and other CMOS PICs.

 

We demonstrate a scheme for microring resonators to operate as standing-wave resonators while eliminating reflections and maintaining traveling-wave-resonator-like through-port response, potentially enabling interdigitated p-n junction microring modulators to achieve higher performance than other junction geometries. 

We demonstrate device field characterization using NSOM collection and interaction measurement modes via the backside buried-oxide of large scale photonic circuits fabricated in monolithic electronics-photonics CMOS platforms (here a microdisk resonator) post-processed using flip-chip substrate-removal. 

Grating coupler devices provide efficient, foundry-compatible vertical fiber-to-chip coupling solutions in integrated photonic platforms. However, standard grating coupler designs are highly polarization sensitive, which hinders their adoption. We present a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of 1D polarization-insensitive grating coupler (PIGC) that is based on a zero-birefringence subwavelength “corelet” waveguide. We demonstrate a PIGC for coupling in the telecommunications O-band in a 45-nm-node monolithic silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS electronic-photonic platform, with measured insertion losses of 6.7 and 6.1 dB to transverse electric and transverse magnetic polarizations, respectively, and a ±1-dB polarization dependent loss bandwidth of 73 nm.

 

Convergence of high-performance silicon photonics and electronics, monolithically integrated in state-of-the-art CMOS platforms, is the holy grail for enabling the ultimate efficiencies, performance, and scaling of electronic-photonic systems-on-chip. It requires the emergence of platforms that combine state-of-the-art RF transistors with optimized silicon photonics, and a generation of photonic device technology with ultralow energies, increased operating spectrum, and the elimination of power-hungry thermal tuning. In this paper, in a co-optimized monolithic electronics-photonics platform (GlobalFoundries 45CLO), we turn the metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) field-effect transistor’s basic structure into a novel, highly efficient MOS capacitor ring modulator. It has the smallest ring cavity (1.5 μm radius), largest corresponding spur-free free spectral range ( FSR = 8.5    THz ), and record 30 GHz/V shift efficiency in the O-band among silicon modulators demonstrated to date. With 1 V pp RF drive, we show an open optical eye while electro-optically tuning the modulator to track over 400 pm (69 GHz) change in the laser wavelength (using 2.5 V DC range). A 90 GHz maximum electro-optic resonance shift is demonstrated with under 40 nW of power, providing a strong nonthermal tuning mechanism in a CMOS photonics platform. The modulator has a separately optimized body layer but shares the gate device layer and the gate oxide with 45 nm transistors, while meeting all CMOS manufacturability design rules. This type of convergent evolution of electronics and photonics may be the future of platforms for high-performance systems-on-chip. 

Adiabatic microrings with opposing p/n contacts achieve full carrier sweepout in reverse bias and energy-efficient carrier injection in forward bias, exhibiting 200GHz/V peak shift in C-band for athermal tuning over a 220 GHz range.

 

We study spontaneous four-wave mixing and spontaneous Raman scattering (SpRS) in a CMOS microring cavity in the C-band and find that the latter contributes a significant fraction to the signal/idler photon flux. We expect operation in the O-band to be less affected by SpRS due to higher confinement of the O-band light in crystalline Si in this device.

 

We report the first photonic crystal microcavity modulator realized in a foundry CMOS photonics platform. Bandwidth of 2.8 GHz and 5 Gbps data rate demonstrated utilizing an interdigitated p-n junction in a WDM compatible structure. 

We report on microring modulators in the new 45CLO photonics-optimized 45 nm electronic-photonic CMOS platform. Interdigitated disk and vertical-junction rib microring de- signs are demonstrated, with 20 GHz bandwidth at 25 Gbps data rate.