title: Dense dissimilar waveguide routing for highly efficient thermo-optic switches on silicon.
abstract: We analyze and demonstrate a method for increasing the efficiency of thermo-optic phase shifters on a silicon-on-insulator platform. The lack of cross-coupling between dissimilar waveguides allows highly dense waveguide routing under heating elements and a corresponding increase in efficiency. We demonstrate a device with highly dense routing of 9 waveguides under a 10 µm wide heater and achieve a low switching power of 95 µW, extinction ratio greater than 20 dB, and less than 0.1 dB ripple in the through spectrum with a footprint of less than 800 µm × 180 µm. The increase in waveguide density is found not to negatively impact the switch response time.
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Zeqin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hasitha
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jayatilleka
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chrostowski