Reconfigurable Free Form Silicon Photonics by Phase Change Waveguides

Abstract

<p>The rapid reprogramming of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) offers transformative potential for photonic technologies. Traditional programmable photonic devices, relying on thermo-optic or electro-optic effects, face limitations like large size and high energy consumption. Chalcogenide phase-change materials (CPCMs) have gained attention for enabling energy-efficient, non-volatile optical manipulation on-chip, crucial for in-memory optical computing. Sb2S3 emerges as a promising alternative to conventional CPCMs, providing low loss and reversibility. This work introduces a CMOS-compatible reconfigurable waveguide platform using Sb2S3 thin film on silicon-on-insulator (SOI). Laser direct writing enables the creation of complete channel waveguides in a<br>single step, with the flexibility to erase and rewrite segments for rapid design adjustments. The platform demonstrates stable waveguide erasure using a cost-effective laser engraver and low-loss coupling between SOI and the phasechange material-on-silicon (PCMoS) waveguide. By combining an economical fabrication process with a robust device architecture, this integration scheme offers a versatile solution for applications such as optical interconnects, neuromorphic and quantum computing, and microwave photonics.<br></p>