A Silicon Optical Transistor

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a silicon-based all-optical transistor using microring nonlinearities, achieving high on/off ratios and compatibility with CMOS technology, advancing optical information processing.

Contribution

It introduces a novel all-optical transistor design using microring nonlinearities that provides optical gain, isolation, and buffer action in silicon.

Findings

Achieved an on/off ratio of up to 20 dB.

Device is ultra-compact and CMOS-compatible.

Can compensate losses and provide fan-out in optical circuits.

Abstract

A fundamental road block for all-optical information processing is the difficulty in realizing a silicon optical transistor with the ability to provide optical gain, input output isolation and buffer action. In this work, we demonstrate an all-optical transistor using optical nonlinearity in microrings. By using weak light to control strong light, we observed an On/Off ratio up to 20 dB. It can compensate losses in other optical devices and provide fan-out capability. The device is ultra compact and is compatible with current complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processing.