Multi-channel switch array on the base of triple series-coupled electro-optical polymer microring resonators

• We design an electro-optic polymer microring resonator (MRR) switch array.
• Every switching element contains triple series-coupled microrings.
• The device possesses some excellent switching features.

A structural model is proposed for designing an electro-optic polymer microring resonator (MRR) switch array. This device consists of 1 horizontal channel, N vertical channels and N switching elements. Every switching element contains triple series-coupled microrings with identical radii. Parameter optimization and characteristic analysis of the device are carried out under the resonance wavelength of 1550 nm by using the coupled mode theory, the microring resonance theory, and the electro-optic modulation theory. The simulation results show that the switching functions can be realized in the N+1 channels by applying different manners of operation voltage on the microrings. The device possesses flat spectral response with a switching voltage of 4.5 V, crosstalk of less than –30 dB, insertion loss of less than 2.09, 2.47, 3.22 and 4.72 dB, and extinction ratio of larger than 26.8, 25.2, 22.9 and 19.8 dB for 1×4, 1×8, 1×16 and 1×32 channel structures, respectively.