Integrated Photonic Optical Circulator

ABSTRACT:This SBIR program will develop novel optical circulator devices based on non-reciprocal phase shift (NRPS) in thin layers of magneto-optic materials integrated with an ultra-low loss silicon nitride optical waveguide. The program will utilize innovative Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) and microresonator (MR) based structures to create circulators with high isolation, low loss and wide bandwidth. Novel designs for developing a TE mode device on silicon will be demonstrated. The program will also investigate high port count circulator devices and unique optical functionalities they can provide when combined with a series of advanced optical components.BENEFIT:The novel integrated photonic optical circulators developed in this SBIR program will play a vital role in future photonic integrated circuit (PIC) devices for use in DoD and commercial applications. High isolation with low loss and wide bandwidth are key enabling features of this technology, which are essential for high performance operation of future PIC devices. The program will also develop TE mode circulators for silicon photonics based PICs, enabling the vast majority of lasers and other TE mode devices integrated onto advanced PI devices. These new PIC devices will then create unique photonic capabilities for future DoD systems that cannot be achieved with electronic only systems, while also significantly reducing the cost, size weight and power of these future systems.