Broadband switching using array of fifth-order resonators

We present a data routing 1×4 multiport switch using fifth order resonators created with SOI waveguide technology. While first-order resonators exhibit a trade-off between bandwidth and extinction ratio, higher order resonators allow individual optimisation of each parameter. Thermo-optic tuning is implemented to create electronically addressed switches. Thin film multi-metal Ti/Pt/Au tracks combined with Ti/Pt heaters provide for individual addressing of each resonator. A ¿ phase shift is achieved for an applied voltage of 7.5V for each ring, enabling "on-off" operation as well as providing compensation for nanoscale feature size variations inherent to the SOI fabrication. Initial data routing experiments have been successfully performed with low optical power penalty for all paths. A switch off-state extinction is measured to be of order 30dB for each path. On state 3dB pass bandwidths in excess of 100GHz are observed