A novel bistable optical phase shifter using non-volatile MEMS actuator for application in photonic integrated circuits

Abstract

Recently, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) actuators have been employed to perform the tuning mechanisms in photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Photonic components with MEMS-based tuning mechanisms offer several advantages, including small dimensions, low power consumption, fast tuning time, and high compatibility with silicon photonic platforms. These features enable the integration of photonic components on a single chip, which is demanded for complex applications such as artificial intelligence applications including machine learning, neural networks, and neuromorphic computing. Phase shifters are one of the most important components in PICs. This paper introduces a novel bistable optical phase shifter that utilizes a MEMS-based tuning mechanism to maintain its last state without consuming electrical power. The proposed device boasts impressive functional characteristics including a phase shift of 2.32π, a tuning time of 1.3μs, an optical loss of 0.03 dB, and compact dimensions of 35 μm by 35 μm while operating at a voltage of 18V. Given these remarkable features, the proposed device is an appealing candidate for integration in complex PICs such as photonics-based AI systems.