2018 Session – PLENARY Science & research hightlights

Single-chip Electronic-Photonic SoCs in a 45nm High-Volume CMOS Foundry: A Platform for Next-Generation Integrated Optics

Mark Wade
Ayar Labs, Inc., Emeryville, CA – USA
E-mail: mark@ayarlabs.com

Abstract
Driven by relentless increases in high-performance ASICs (switches, GPUs, CPUs, DRAM, etc.), the electrical I/O roadmap is nearing its end, and the ASIC industry is looking for a ubiquitous replacement to electrical I/O escaping chip packages. To meet such demands, a photonics technology with massive bandwidth density, high energy efficiency, and low cost must be used. These requirements necessitate unprecedented levels of integration between electronics and photonics and require rethinking traditional communication architectures. In this talk, I will present a new class of optical devices integrated directly into a high-volume 300mm 45nm SOI CMOS process and how these devices enable new SoC’s to solve the bandwidth bottleneck in the ASIC industry. Examples include a 400Gbps microring-based DWDM transmitter, a low latency RapidIO optical engine, and the first CPU chip with optical I/O.

Fr.2.1 6-Invited Paper, Mark Wade (Ayar Labs), “Zero-change photonic integration for co-integration with CMOS electronics”


Printed active hybrid photonic crystal devices for 3D integrated photonics

Weidong Zhou
University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
Tel: +0018172721227, e-mail: wzhou@uta.edu

Abstract
Free-space coupled membrane photonic devices are highly desirable for 3D integrated photonics, free space communications, imaging, sensing, and ranging applications. [1] Based on transfer printing processes, heterogeneously integrated active photonic crystal devices can be built on the common silicon platform. [2] In this talk, I will review progresses made on photonic crystal based lasers, modulators, and related high quality factor resonant structures. [3-6] The progresses towards emerging low dimensional 2D materials for active devices will also be reported.

Keywords: Lasers, silicon photonics, integrated photonics, optical interconnect, free-space communications, hybrid integration.

Fr.2.2 16-Invited Paper, Weidong Zhou (Univ. Texas Arlington), “Printed active hybrid photonic crystal devices for 3D integrated photonics”


Silicon Nitride Tunable Directional Coupler for programmable waveguide meshes

Daniel Pérez, Erica Sánchez, D. Doménech, P. Muñoz & José Capmany Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), c/ Camino de Vera s/n – 46022, Valencia – Spain
E-mail: dapelo2@iteam.upv.es
VLC Photonics S.L, c/ Camino de Vera s/n – 46022, Valencia – Spain

Abstract
Emerging programmable multifunctional integrated photonic circuits rely on different topologies of waveguide mesh arrangements of beamsplitters with additional phase shifting capabilities. The optimization of these basic units is essential to increase the versatility, performance and potential scalability of photonic signal processing structures. In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a thermally-tuned photonic directional coupler in a silicon nitride platform. The trade-offs of this approach and their potential impact is addressed.

Keywords: integrated photonics, programmable photonics, optical switches

Fr.2.3 31-Invited Paper, J. Capmany, (Universitat Politècnica de València) ‘The COST CA16220 Action European Network on High performance Integrated Microwave Photonics’