Dimitrios Kalavrouziotis

Active plasmonics in WDM traffic switching applications

With metal stripes being intrinsic components of plasmonic waveguides, plasmonics provides a “naturally” energy-efficient platform for merging broadband optical links with intelligent electronic processing, instigating a great promise for low-power and small-footprint active functional circuitry. The first active Dielectric-Loaded Surface Plasmon Polariton (DLSPP) thermo-optic (TO) switches with successful performance in single-channel 10 Gb/s data traffic environments have led the inroad towards bringing low-power active plasmonics in practical traffic applications. In this article, we introduce active plasmonics into Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) switching applications, using the smallest TO DLSPP-based Mach-Zehnder interferometric switch reported so far and showing its successful performance in 4×10 Gb/s low-power and fast switching operation. The demonstration of the WDM-enabling characteristics of active plasmonic circuits with an ultra-low power × response time product represents a crucial milestone in the development of active plasmonics towards real telecom and datacom applications, where low-energy and fast TO operation with small-size circuitry is targeted.

Interfacing Dielectric-Loaded Plasmonic and Silicon Photonic Waveguides: Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Demonstration

A comprehensive theoretical analysis of end-fire coupling between dielectric-loaded surface plasmon polariton and rib/wire silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides is presented. Simulations are based on the 3-D vector finite element method. The geometrical parameters of the interface are varied in order to identify the ones leading to optimum performance, i.e., maximum coupling efficiency. Fabrication tolerances about the optimum parameter values are also assessed. In addition, the effect of a longitudinal metallic stripe gap on coupling efficiency is quantified, since such gaps have been observed in fabricated structures. Finally, theoretical results are compared against insertion loss measurements, carried out for two distinct sets of samples comprising rib and wire SOI waveguides, respectively.

Data Transmission and Thermo-Optic Tuning Performance of Dielectric-Loaded Plasmonic Structures Hetero-Integrated on a Silicon Chip

We demonstrate experimental evidence of the data capture and the low-energy thermo-optic tuning credentials of dielectric-loaded plasmonic structures integrated on a silicon chip. We show 7-nm thermo-optical tuning of a plasmonic racetrack-resonator with less than 3.3 mW required electrical power and verify error-free 10-Gb/s transmission through a 60-μm-long dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguide.

Active Plasmonics in True Data Traffic Applications: Thermo-Optic On/Off Gating Using a Silicon-Plasmonic Asymmetric Mach–Zehnder Interferometer

We present the first system-level demonstration of an active plasmonic device in 10-Gb/s data traffic conditions. An asymmetric silicon-plasmonic Mach-Zehnder interferometer with dielectric-loaded plasmonic waveguides serving as the electrically controlled arms, operates as thermo-optic On/Off gating element with 2.8- μ s response time and 10.8-mW power consumption.

A 64 Gb/s PAM-4 linear optical receiver

We present a linear optical receiver realized on 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS. Error-free operation assuming FEC is shown at bitrates up to 64 Gb/s (32 Gbaud) with 165mW power consumption, corresponding to 2.578 pJ/bit.

First demonstration of active plasmonic device in true data traffic conditions: ON/OFF thermo-optic modulation using a hybrid silicon-plasmonic asymmetric MZI

We demonstrate the first system-level evaluation of an active plasmonic device in 10Gb/s data traffic conditions. Thermo-optic ON/OFF modulation with 3μs response time and 10mW power consumption is presented using an asymmetric MZI silicon-plasmonic gate.

Demonstration of a Plasmonic MMI Switch in 10-Gb/s True Data Traffic Conditions

We report the first experimental performance evaluation of a 75-μm-long plasmonic multimode interference switch that is hetero-integrated on a silicon-on-insulator platform, operating with 10-Gb/s data signals. The switch exhibits a 2.9-μs response time and 44.5% modulation depth, while the extinction ratio between the ports alters from 5.4 to -1.5 dB for 35-mW electrical (switching) power. Error-free performance was achieved.

Bandwidth and Wavelength-Selective MUX/DEMUX Microresonator Elements for Flexible-Grid Applications

We propose a novel concept for a MUX/DEMUX array based on microresonators with reconfigurable bandwidth and wavelength response. Initial experimental results on a single MR element prove its suitability for flexible-grid applications.

Photonic integration enabling new multiplexing concepts in optical board-to-board and rack-to-rack interconnects

New broadband applications are causing the datacenters to proliferate, raising the bar for higher interconnection speeds. So far, optical board-to-board and rack-to-rack interconnects relied primarily on low-cost commodity optical components assembled in a single package. Although this concept proved successful in the first generations of opticalinterconnect modules, scalability is a daunting issue as signaling rates extend beyond 25 Gb/s. In this paper we present our work towards the development of two technology platforms for migration beyond Infiniband enhanced data rate (EDR), introducing new concepts in board-to-board and rack-to-rack interconnects. The first platform is developed in the framework of MIRAGE European project and relies on proven VCSEL technology, exploiting the inherent cost, yield, reliability and power consumption advantages of VCSELs. Wavelength multiplexing, PAM-4 modulation and multi-core fiber (MCF) multiplexing are introduced by combining VCSELs with integrated Si and glass photonics as well as BiCMOS electronics. An in-plane MCF-to-SOI interface is demonstrated, allowing coupling from the MCF cores to 340x400 nm Si waveguides. Development of a low-power VCSEL driver with integrated feed-forward equalizer is reported, allowing PAM-4 modulation of a bandwidth-limited VCSEL beyond 25 Gbaud. The second platform, developed within the frames of the European project PHOXTROT, considers the use of modulation formats of increased complexity in the context of optical interconnects. Powered by the evolution of DSP technology and towards an integration path between inter and intra datacenter traffic, this platform investigates optical interconnection system concepts capable to support 16QAM 40GBd data traffic, exploiting the advancements of silicon and polymer technologies.

Experimental Demonstration of an Elastic Packet Routing Node Based on OCDMA Label Coding

We propose and demonstrate experimentally an all-optical packet routing scheme using hybrid-wavelength-division multiplexing/optical-code-division multiple access labeling for 40-Gb/s nonreturn-to-zero (NRZ) data. With no electronic control, the system forwards asynchronously packets delimited by valid label and suppresses unwanted traffic. It consists of an optical flip-flop controlled by two correlators combined with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer that selects packets for each fiber output. The experimental results show optical switching operation for the optical-code gate with an extinction ratio of 16 dB between the switched and unswitched packets and a switching time below 2 ns. Error-free operation has been successfully achieved with low-power penalty for 40-Gb/s NRZ data.