A low-cost, robust method for automatically tuning a coupled resonator and laser for high-speed photonics applications

This technology is a method for automatic wavelength locking and thermal stabilization of silicon microring resonators that enables their use in functional integrated optoelectronic circuits.

Unmet Need: Method of locking microring resonator wavelength to laser wavelength

In order for silicon microring resonators to work properly in optical interconnects and related device applications, their resonance must maintain alignment with a specific laser wavelength. This alignment is difficult to achieve due to the susceptibility of microrings to small fluctuations in temperature and wavelength. Currently, there is no scalable, energy-efficient method to automatically track and lock the microring resonance with the laser wavelength.

The Technology: Integrated thermal stabilization and wavelength locking of silicon microrings

This technology utilizes dithering signals for automatic wavelength locking and thermal stabilization of microring resonators. The use of dithering signals to achieve wavelength locking obviates the requirement for bulky tunable lasers or monochromators, thereby creating an energy-efficient and scalable solution for future device applications. Importantly, such scalability enables the integration of multiple microring resonators into wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical interconnects for high-speed optical communication applications.

The technology has been successfully tested in several integrated CMOS prototypes.

Applications:

• Electronic devices for biosensing and environmental monitoring
• Highly compact method of spectroscopy
• High-speed modulators, switches, and filters for integrated optoelectronic communication circuits

Advantages:

• Can be integrated on a single device using CMOS-compatible fabrication processes
• Reduces the cost and size of optical interconnect platforms
• Compatibility of silicon material with existing microelectronics
• Automatic detection, measurement, and correction of resonance shift

Lead Inventor:

Keren Bergman, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Status

Related Publications:

• Padmaraju K, Logan DF, Shiraishi T, Ackert JJ, Knights AP, Bergman K. “Wavelength locking and thermally stabilizing microring resonators using dithering signals” J Light Technol. 2014 Feb 1; 32(3): 505-512.

• Padmaraju K, Luo LW, Zhu X, Glick M, Dutt R, Lipson M, Bergman K. “Wavelength locking of a WDM silicon microring demultiplexer using dithering signals” Optical Fiber Conference (OFC) 2014. 2014 Mar: Tu2E.4.

• Padmaraju K, Logan DF, Zhu X, Ackert JJ, Knights AP, Bergman K. “Integrated thermal stabilization of a microring modulator” Opt Express. 2013 Jun 17; 21(12): 14342-14350.

• Padmaraju K, Logan DF, Ackert JJ, Knights AP, Bergman K. “Simplified platform for microring-sensing using wavelength locking” CLEO Postdeadline Papers. 2013 Jun; ATh5A.1.

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU13185

• Licensing Contact: Greg Maskel