Optical bistable SOI micro-ring resonators for memory applications

TL;DR

This paper experimentally demonstrates a silicon-on-insulator micro-ring resonator exhibiting optical bistability, which can be used as an all-optical memory cell with stable states and a switching speed of 188 ns.

Contribution

The work provides experimental evidence of bistable behavior in SOI micro-ring resonators and explores their potential as passive all-optical memory devices.

Findings

Stable hysteresis response observed at input powers above threshold

Switching speed limited to 188 ns during state transition

Application potential as an all-optical memory cell

Abstract

The present work focuses on experimental investigations of a bistabile silicon-on-insulator (SOI) micro-ring resonator (MRR). The resonator exploits a continuous-wave operation of the carrier-induced bistability demonstrating a stable hysteresis response at the through and drop ports when the input power exceeds the threshold value. Flipping the optical input power provides a convenient mechanism for a switching of the MRR output characteristics between two steady states having a long holding time. The transition of the resonator output between these states is experimentally investigated. It is shown that the switching speed is limited by a low-to-high transition of 188 ns. Obtained results shows an application of the passive SOI MRR as an all-optical memory cell with two complementary outputs.