Photonic integrated circuit

Photonic integrated circuit

A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) or integrated optical circuit is a device that integrates multiple photonic functions and as such is analogous to an Electronic Integrated Circuit. The major difference between the two is that a photonic integrated circuit provides functionality for information signals imposed on optical wavelengths typically in the Visible spectrum or near infrared 850nm-1650nm.

A 2005 development [cite journal | last = Rong | first = Haisheng | coauthors = Jones, Richard; Liu, Ansheng; Cohen, Oded; Hak, Dani; Fang, Alexander; and Paniccia, Mario | year = 2005 | month = February | title = A continuous-wave Raman silicon laser | journal = Nature | volume = 433 | issue = 7027 | pages = 725–728 | doi = 10.1038/nature03346 | url = ftp://download.intel.com/technology/silicon/sp/download/nature_cw_laser.pdf | format = PDF ] solved a quantum noise problem that prevented silicon from being used to generate laser light, permitting new integrated circuits to use high-bandwidth laser light generated within the circuit itself as a signal medium.

Comparison to electronic integration

Unlike electronic integration where silicon is the dominant material, system photonic integrated circuits have been fabricated from a variety of material systems, including silica on silicon, Silicon on insulator, various polymers and semiconductor materials which are used to make semiconductor lasers such as GaAs and InP. The different material systems are used because they each provide different advantages and limitations depending on the function to be integrated.

The fabrication techniques are similar to those used in electronic integrated circuits in which photolithography is used to pattern wafers for etching and material deposition. Unlike electronics where the primary device is the transistor there is no single dominant device. The range of devices required on a chip includes low loss interconnect waveguides, power splitters, optical amplifiers, optical modulators, filters, lasers and detectors. These devices require a variety of different materials and fabrication techniques making it difficult to realize all of them on a single chip.

Examples of photonic integrated circuits

The primary application for photonic integrated circuits is in the area of fiber-optic communication though applications in other fields such as biomedical are also possible.

The arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) which are commonly used as optical (de)multiplexers in wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) fiber-optic communication systems are an example of a photonic integrated circuit which has replaced previous multiplexing schemes which utilized multiple discrete filter elements.

Another example of a photonic integrated chip in wide use today in fiber-optic communication systems is the externally modulated laser (EML) which combines a distributed feed back laser diode with an electro-absorption modulator [ [http://www.rp-photonics.com/electroabsorption_modulators.html Encyclopedia of Laser Physics and Technology - electroabsorption modulators, electro-absorption modulators ] ] on a single InP based chip.

Advantages of photonic circuits

Photonic integrated circuits can allow optical systems to be made more compact and higher performance than with discrete optical components. They also offer the possibility of integration with electronic circuits to provide increased functionality. [http://download.intel.com/technology/itj/2004/volume08issue02/art06_siliconphoto/vol8_art06.pdf "Silicon Photonics." Intel Technology Journal, Volume 08, Issue 02. 10 May 2004.]

Photonic integrated circuits should also be immune to the hazards of functionality losses associated with electromagnetic pulse (EMP), though may not be immune to high neutron flux.

Notes and references

* Alastair D. McAulay: "Optical Computer Architectures: The Application of Optical Concepts to Next Generation Computers" (1999).
* " [http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=30367 Architectural issues in designing symbolic processors in optics] ".
* D. Goswami, " [http://www.iisc.ernet.in/academy/resonance/June2003/June2003p56-71.html Optical Computing 1:Optical Components and Storage Systems] ", "Resonance", June 2003; " [http://www.iisc.ernet.in/academy/resonance/July2003/July2003p8-21.htm 2:Research Trends] July 2003.
* K.-H. Brenner, Alan Huang: "Logic and architectures for digital optical computers (A)", "J. Opt. Soc. Am.", A3, 62, (1986).
* K.-H. Brenner: "A programmable optical processor based on symbolic substitution", "Appl. Opt." 27, No. 9, 1687–1691, (1988).


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Integrated circuit — Silicon chip redirects here. For the electronics magazine, see Silicon Chip. Integrated circuit from an EPROM memory microchip showing the memory blocks, the supporting circuitry and the fine silver wires which connect the integrated circuit die… …   Wikipedia

  • Photonic metamaterial — Electromagnetism Electricity · …   Wikipedia

  • integrated optical circuit — noun A photonic device that integrates multiple information signals which are composed of light of various wavelengths …   Wiktionary

  • Photonics — Refraction of waves of photons (light) by a prism The science of photonics[1] includes the generation, emission, transmission, modulation, signal processing, switching …   Wikipedia

  • Nanophotonics — Part of a series of articles on Nanoelectronics Single molecule electronics …   Wikipedia

  • фотонная интегральная схема — Термин фотонная интегральная схема Термин на английском Photonic integrated circuit (PIC), Integrated optical circuit Синонимы оптическая интегральная схема Аббревиатуры Связанные термины нанофотоника Определение Устройство (монолитная или… …   Энциклопедический словарь нанотехнологий

  • Microphotonics — is a branch of technology that deals with directing light on a microscopic scale. It is used in optical networking. Microphotonics employs at least two different materials with a large differential index of refraction to squeeze the light down to …   Wikipedia

  • Фотонная интегральная схема — У этого термина существуют и другие значения, см. Фис (значения). Фотонная интегральная схема (англ. photonic integrated circuit или integrated optical circuit, сокр. PIC) или оптическая интегральная схема, сокр. ФИС многокомпонентное… …   Википедия

  • Crosslight Software — Crosslight Software, Inc. Type Private Industry Semiconductor device Founded 1993 Headquarters Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada Key people …   Wikipedia

  • Charles H. Henry — was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA, on May 6, 1937. He received an MS. degree in physics in 1959 from the University of Chicago, and a PhD degree in physics in 1965 from the University of Illinois, under the direction of Charlie Slichter. In… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”