Compact all-optical switch for WDM networks based on Raman effect in silicon nanowavegide

Abstract

We propose an all-optical switching scheme based on Raman gain in a silicon nanowaveguide suitable for multichannel optical communication. Raman gain is used for amplification of a control pulse with a higher wavelength, which depletes the tuned channel signal. Separation between control and signal pulses should be equal to the Raman shift in silicon. By employing a 3 mm channel nanowaveguide, we demonstrate a channel attenuation of about 12 dB, while the suppression ratios for the first and second neighboring channels are about 1.6 dB and 1 dB, respectively. This scheme can be used as an all-optical switch in dense wavelength division multiplexing networks. Moreover, we demonstrate that the depleted channel can be retrieved by a control pulse with lower wavelength in which the pulse amplifies the channel in contrast to the prior situation.