title: Monolithic MZI-SOA hybrid switch for low-power and low-penalty operation.
abstract: We report the first experimental demonstration of a monolithically integrated hybrid dilated 2×2 modular optical switch using Mach-Zehnder modulators as low-loss 1×2 switching elements and short semiconductor optical amplifiers to provide additional extinction and gain. An excellent 40 dB cross-talk/extinction ratio is recorded with data-modulated signal-to-noise ratios of up to 44 dB in a 0.1 nm bandwidth. A switching time of 3 ns is demonstrated. Bit error rate studies show extremely low subsystem penalties of less than 0.1 dB, and studies indicate that, by using this hybrid switch building block, an 8×8 port switch could be achieved with 14 dB input power dynamic range for subsystem penalties of less than 0.5 dB.
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wonfor
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: R V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Penty
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: White