Silicon photonic microelectromechanical phase shifters for scalable programmable photonics
Open accessAbstract
Programmable photonic integrated circuits are emerging as an attractive platform for applications such as quantum information processing and artificial neural networks. However, current programmable circuits are limited in scalability by the lack of low-power and low-loss phase shifters in commercial foundries. Here, we demonstrate a compact phase shifter with low-power photonic microelectromechanical system (MEMS) actuation on a silicon photonics foundry platform (IMEC’s iSiPP50G). The device attains ( 2.9 π ± π ) phase shift at 1550 nm, with an insertion loss of ( 0.33 − 0.10 + 0.15 ) d B , a V π of ( 10.7 − 1.4 + 2.2 ) V , and an L π of ( 17.2 − 4.3 + 8.8 ) µ m . We also measured an actuation bandwidth f − 3 d B of 1.03 MHz in air. We believe that our demonstration of a low-loss and low-power photonic MEMS phase shifter implemented in silicon photonics foundry compatible technology lifts a main roadblock toward the scale-up of programmable photonic integrated circuits.
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We have demonstrated phase shifters on our silicon photonic MEMS platform, reaching (2.9π ± π) at a wavelength of 1550 nm, with a low insertion loss of dB60.
“We have demonstrated such phase shifters on our silicon photonic MEMS platform, reaching (2.9π ± π) at a wavelength of 1550 nm, with a low insertion loss of dB60.”
From Integrated silicon photonic MEMS (2023) · cites this paper as [60]
Power consumption for individual devices is typically on the order of nW.
“Due to electrostatic actuation, power consumption for individual devices is typically on the order of nW60,65.”
From Integrated silicon photonic MEMS (2023) · cites this paper as [60]
MEMS/NOEMS-based phase shifters are inherently low power, and have been demonstrated with multiple foundries.
“MEMS/NOEMS-based phase shifters are inherently low power84, and have been demonstrated with multiple foundries35,85,86.”
From Roadmapping the next generation of silicon photonics (2024) · cites this paper as [86]
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References 17 · Cited by 96
- Authors
- Edinger, P., Takabayashi, A. Y., Errando-Herranz, C., Khan, U., Sattari, H., Verheyen, P., Bogaerts, W., Quack, N., & Gylfason, K. B.
- Affiliations
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology (SE)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- Ghent University (BE)
- IMEC (BE)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Optics Letters
- Publisher
- Optica Publishing Group
- Published
- 2021-11-10
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 22
- Pages
- 5671
- ISSN
- 0146-9592 (ISSN-L)
- 1539-4794
- OpenAlex
- W3205615004
- Cited by
- 96
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 2
- FWCI
- 4.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Optics Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Infoscience (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- European Union Horizon 2020 (780283)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Photonic and Optical Devices
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Advanced MEMS and NEMS Technologies
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Mechanical and Optical Resonators
- Keywords
- MEMS phase shifter, silicon photonics, programmable photonic integrated circuits, low insertion loss, quantum information processing, artificial neural networks
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