| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7930059 | Optics Communications | 2015 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
We experimentally demonstrate silicon variable optical attenuators (VOAs) based on thermally tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs). Thermo-optic tuning is enabled by a silicon resistive micro-heater positioned beside the MZI arm. Experimental results reveal that the maximum attenuation is around 30 dB with 50 mW power consumption. Compared with the p-i-n diode based VOA, the MZI-VOA is more power efficient and compact. The influence of MZI arm length on the performance of MZI-VOA is also investigated. The maximum attenuation voltage for the MZI-VOA with a 50 μm long arm length is around 6.6 V.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Materials Science
Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Authors
Qianqian Wu, Linjie Zhou, Xiaomeng Sun, Haike Zhu, Liangjun Lu, Jianping Chen,