We review our research progress of multi-port optical switches based on the silicon photonics platform. Up to now, the maximum port-count is 32 input ports×32 output ports, in which transmissions of all paths were demonstrated. The switch topology is path-independent insertion-loss (PILOSS) which consists of an array of 2×2 element switches and intersections. The switch presented an average fiber-to-fiber insertion loss of 10.8 dB. Moreover, -20-dB crosstalk bandwidth of 14.2 nm was achieved with output-port-exchanged element switches, and an average polarization-dependent loss (PDL) of 3.2 dB was achieved with a non-duplicated polarization-diversity structure enabled by SiN overpass waveguides. In the 8×8 switch, we demonstrated wider than 100-nm bandwidth for less than -30-dB crosstalk with double Mach-Zehnder element switches, and less than 0.5 dB PDL with polarization diversity scheme which consisted of two switch matrices and fiber-type polarization beam splitters. Based on the switch performances described above, we discuss further improvement of switching performances.

One of the most serious challenges facing the exponential performance growth in the information industry is a bandwidth bottleneck in inter-chip interconnects. We therefore propose a photonics-electronics convergence system with a silicon optical interposer. We examined integration between photonics and electronics and integration between light sources and silicon substrates, and we fabricated a conceptual model of the proposed system based on the results of those examinations. We also investigated the configurations and characteristics of optical components for the silicon optical interposer: silicon optical waveguides, silicon optical splitters, silicon optical modulators, germanium photodetectors, arrayed laser diodes, and spot-size converters. We then demonstrated the feasibility of the system by fabricating a high-density optical interposer by using silicon photonics integrated with these optical components on a single silicon substrate. As a result, we achieved error-free data transmission at 12.5 Gbps and a high bandwidth density of 6.6 Tbps/cm2 with the optical interposer. We think that this technology will solve the bandwidth bottleneck problem.

A complete analysis of GaN-based structures with very promising characteristics for future optical waveguide devices, such as modulators, is presented. First the material growth was optimized for low dislocation density and surface roughness. Optical measurements demonstrate excellent waveguide properties in terms of index and temperature dependence while planar propagation losses are below 1 dB/cm. Bias was applied on both sides of the epitaxially grown films to evaluate the refractive index dependence on reverse voltage and a variation of 2.10-3 was found for 30 V. These results support the possibility of using structures of this type for the fabrication of modulator devices such as Mach-Zehnder interferometers.

This paper reviews recent world-wide progress in silicon-based photonics-and-optoelectronics in order to provide a context for the papers in this special section of the IEICE Transactions. The impact of present and potential applications is discussed.

As a new category of the optical application system integrated with electronics, the opto-electronic information system (OEIS) is presented. Combination of the different characteristic technologies, optics and electronics, is expected to be useful for development of an effective and high-performance information systems. The properties of the optical technologies such as parallelism, high-speed, and large information capacity can be utilized for information processing. Even if some of the functions are emulated by the electronics, the optics give more effective solutions. To implement the OEIS, various optoelectronic devices and fabrication technologies are available including vertical cavity surface emitting lasers and spatial light modulators. There are two forms of system construction for the OEIS: an application of optics to an electronic-based system and the reversed form. As examples of the OEIS, the parallel matching architecture (PMA) and the thin observation module by bound optics (TOMBO) are presented. The PMA is an architecture of parallel computing system specified for global processing. This architecture shows a typical strategy to utilize the optical interconnection capability with flexibility of the electronic technology. The TOMBO presents possibility of morphological conversion using combination of the optical and electronic technologies. A compound-eye imaging system and post digital processing enable us to realize a very thin image capturing system. The issues related on development of the OEIS are proper usage of optics, effective fusion of the optical and electronic technologies, methodologies for system construction, fabrication supporting tools, and development of attractive demonstrators other than communication and interconnection fields.

10-Gbit/s monolithic receiver OEIC's for 1.55-µm optical transmission systems were fabricated using a stacked layer structure of p-i-n photodiodes and HEMT's grown on InP substrates by single-step MOVPE. A receiver OEIC with a large O/E conversion factor was obtained by adding a three-stage differential amplifier to a conventional feedback amplifier monolithically integrated with a surface-illuminated p-i-n photodiode. The circuit configuration gave a preamplifier a transimpedance of 60 dBΩ. The receiver OEIC achieved error-free operation at 10 Gbit/s without a postamplifier even with the optical input as low as -10.3 dBm because of its large O/E conversion factor of 890 V/W. A two-channel receiver OEIC array for use in a 10-Gbit/s parallel photoreceiver module based on a PLC platform was made by monolithically integrating multimode WGPD's with HEMT preamplifiers. The side-illuminated structure of the WGPD is suitable for integration with other waveguide-type optical devices. The receiver OEIC arrays were fabricated on a 2-inch wafer with achieving excellent uniformity and a yield over 90%: average transimpedance and average 3-dB-down bandwidth were 43.8 dBΩ and 8.0 GHz. The two channels in the receiver OEIC array also showed sensitivities of -16.1 dBm and -15.3 dBm at 10 Gbit/s. The two-channel photoreceiver module was constructed by assembling the OEIC array on a PLC platform. The frequency response of the module was almost the same as that of the OEIC chip and the crosstalk between channels in the module was better than -27 dB in the frequency range below 6 GHz. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using our receiver OEIC's in various types of optical receiver systems.

We propose a novel InGaAsP semiconductor laser which theoretically exhibits a high differential gain. The proposed semiconductor laser contains an asymmetric double quantum well structure as the active region. The differential gain enhancement invokes resonant tunneling of heavy holes in the asymmetric double quantum well structure, which takes place on the way of carrier injection process. The proposed laser is expected to be far more efficient in reducing pulse width and spectral broadening (chirping) than conventional multiquantum well lasers when driven by the gain switching method.

New THz radiation devices made of high-Tc superconductors are fabricated and their characteristics are studied in detail. Ultrashort electromagnetic pulses with 0.5 ps width have been radiated into free space from current biased devices made of superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films by exciting with femtosecond laser pulses. The Fourier spectrum of them extends up to 3 THz. The radiation mechanism is ascribed to the ultrafast supercurrent modulation by the optical pulses. The THz waveform is analyzed using rate equations describing the relaxation of photoexcited quasiparticles. By the improvement of the device structure and the collecting optics, the radiation power can be increased up to 0.5 µW. A new type THz radiation from YBCO films under an external magnetic field without a transport current is also reported.

The relative intensity noise (RIN) spectra of DC driven 1.3 µm distributed feedback laser diodes under the influence of external reflections are measured for various currents and reflection lengths. The effective power reflectivities are 310-4-310-3. The enhanced noise is observed when the relaxation oscillation frequency coincides with the external cavity frequency. It is also observed that the RIN spectra with the near end reflections differ from those with the far end reflections. The degradation of the RIN spectra is analyzed with the rate equations numerically. A new reflection noise model, which includes the carrier density change induced by the reflections, is introduced. The near and far end reflections are characterized well by this model. Furthermore, it is found that the reflection induced noise effect can be described well by the far end reflection noise model even when the reflection length is as short as 1 m.

Ultrashort pulsed-beam propagation in a Kerr-type bulk medium is studied theoretically through classical and quantum field solutions of a higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which is valid for transversely localized femtosecond pulses in an anomalous dispersion regime. Quantum-mechanical stability analysis via a Hartree approximation to interacting bosons shows that within a certain range of a parameter the solitary wave could be stabilized even in the three-dimensional transverse space-time. This feature admits of an exotic route to multidimensional solitons.

The first demonstration of 88 optical switch matrix with low drive voltage digital optical switch elements is reported. A polarization-independent 88 digital optical switch with drive voltage of 40V at 1.3µm wavelength can be realized by assigning proper lengths for switch elements. The average insertion loss of 10dB and polarization independent switching with average crosstalk of -16dB (limited by the middle stage 22 switch) are achieved.

The newly developed GaAs-pin/SLM, that is structured with a GaAs-pin diode photodetector and a ferroelectric liquid crystal as the light phase modulator, shows the accumulative thresholding characteristic against the optical energy of the write-in pulse train. We experimentally investigate this characteristic and discuss its applications to optical parallel processings.