Silicon-nanocrystal-coated silica microsphere thermo-optical switch

Anuranjita Tewary; Michel J. F. Digonnet; Mark L. Brongersma; Joo-Yeon Sung; Jung H. Shin

doi:10.1117/12.669392

1 March 2006 Silicon-nanocrystal-coated silica microsphere thermo-optical switch

Anuranjita Tewary, Michel J. F. Digonnet, Mark L. Brongersma, Joo-Yeon Sung, Jung H. Shin

Proceedings Volume 6125, Silicon Photonics; 61250U (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.669392
Event: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices 2006, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

We report the development of a novel low energy optical switch that consists of a silica microsphere optical resonator coated with a layer of silicon nanocrystals. A 150 μm-diameter silica microsphere was coated with a 140 nm thick layer of silicon rich silicon oxide (SRSO) by PECVD. The microsphere/SRSO was annealed in argon at 1100C to facilitate nanocrystal growth. The optical properties of the microsphere were characterized by evanescently coupling 1450 μm tunable laser light through a tapered optical fiber into the whispering gallery mode resonances of the microsphere. A quality factor of 3×10⁵ was measured at this wavelength. Light from an Ar⁺ laser at 488 nm was introduced into the tapered fiber and was used to excite the nanocrystals near the whispering gallery modes (WGM) of the sphere. WGM resonance wavelengths shifts of 5 pm at an operating wavelength of 1450 nm were observed when the Ar⁺ light was coupled into the tapered fiber. Powers as low as 3 μW were sufficient to shift the resonance by a half a linewidth and cause full switching of the 1450 nm signal with a fast rise time (which was limited by the time width of the laser pulse). The speed of the switch is limited by the fall time, which has a time constant of 30 ms.

Citation Download Citation

Anuranjita Tewary, Michel J. F. Digonnet, Mark L. Brongersma, Joo-Yeon Sung, and Jung H. Shin "Silicon-nanocrystal-coated silica microsphere thermo-optical switch", Proc. SPIE 6125, Silicon Photonics, 61250U (1 March 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.669392

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available