Authors:	A. Ruocco, D. Van Thourhout, W. Bogaerts
Title:	Silicon Photonic Spectrometer for Accurate Peak Detection using the Vernier Effect and Time-Domain Multiplexing
Format:	International Journal
Publication date:	10/2014
Journal/Conference/Book:	Journal of Lightwave Technology
Editor/Publisher:	IEEE,
Volume(Issue):	p.3351 - 3357
DOI:	10.1109/JLT.2014.2346585
Citations:	10 (Dimensions.ai - last update: 17/11/2024) 10 (OpenCitations - last update: 27/6/2024) Look up on Google Scholar
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Abstract

We present a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) spectrometer for wavelength peak detection operating in a 20nm wavelength band around 1550 nm with an average accuracy of 12 pm. The silicon photonic integrated circuit (PIC) occupies a footprint of 250 700 um2 and is composed of a passive arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) and an array of thermo-optic Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) switches. The AWG multiplexes multiple inputs and outputs with a vernier design that shifts the spectral response of the different inputs. In this demonstration, we use five output channels and four input channels, with a 4.0 nm channel spacing and 5.0 nm channel spacing, respectively. The responses to the different inputs are disentangled at the outputs by time-multiplexing the inputs with the switches.We demonstrate a more than tenfold improvement in peak detection accuracy using the Vernier effect, from nm range using a single input to picometers range using the 4 inputs.

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