Ultralow-energy and high-contrast all-optical switch involving Fano resonance based on coupled photonic crystal nanocavities

Opt Express. 2013 May 20;21(10):11877-88. doi: 10.1364/OE.21.011877.

Abstract

We experimentally and theoretically clarified that a Fano resonant system based on a coupled optical cavity has better performance when used as an all-optical switch than a single cavity in terms of switching energy, contrast, and operation bandwidth. We successfully fabricated a Fano system consisting of doubly coupled photonic-crystal (PhC) nanocavities, and demonstrated all-optical switching for the first time. A steep asymmetric transmission spectrum was clearly observed, thereby enabling a low-energy and high-contrast switching operation. We achieved the switching with a pump energy of a few fJ, a contrast of more than 10 dB, and an 18 ps switching time window. These levels of performance are actually better than those for Lorentzian resonance in a single cavity. We also theoretically investigated the achievable performance in a well-designed Fano system, which suggested a high contrast for the switching of more than 20 dB in a fJ energy regime.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Models, Theoretical*
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation*
  • Photons
  • Refractometry / instrumentation*
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / instrumentation*