High performance silicon photonic filters for dense wavelength-division multiplexing applications

This dissertation presents theoretical and experimental results for silicon optical ring resonator filters that meet many of the typical commercial specifications for dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) filters. First, we theoretically demonstrate a silicon quadruple Vernier racetrack resonator that meets 4-port filter commercial specifications for a clear window of 0.08 nm and a channel spacing of 0.8 nm while being tolerant to typical fabrication variations. Next, we experimentally demonstrate a silicon quadruple Vernier racetrack resonator that meets many 3-port filter commercial specifications for a clear window of 0.048 nm and a channel spacing of 0.8 nm. Then, enhanced resonant tuning range using the Vernier effect is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated using a thermally tunable silicon quadruple Vernier racetrack resonator. Also, we sent 12.5 Gbps data through a thermally tunable silicon quadruple Vernier racetrack resonator and show open eye diagrams in both the drop port and through port of the filter, even within one of the minor through port notches. We then present theoretical and experimental results on a high performance silicon double microring resonator filter using Mach-Zhender interferometer-based coupling that meets numerous 3-port filter commercial specifications for a clear window of 8 GHz and a channel spacing of 200 GHz as well as having an FSR larger than the span of the C-band and low through port passband dispersion. Next, we present a FSR-eliminated silicon Vernier racetrack resonator filter. We demonstrate the performance of this filter both theoretically and experimentally. The FSR of this filter is eliminated by using contra-directional grating couplers (contra-DCs) to suppress all but one of the notches and peaks of the filter’s spectra. Lastly, a process calibration procedure is demonstrated that accurately determines the coupling coefficients of fabricated