Towards large-scale programmable silicon photonic chip for signal processing

Authors:
raw_author_name: Yiwei Xie
raw_affiliation_string: Advance Laser Technology Laboratory of Anhui Province , Hefei 230037 , China; State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Jiachen Wu
raw_affiliation_string: State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Shihan Hong
raw_affiliation_string: State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Cong Wang
raw_affiliation_string: State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Shujun Liu
raw_affiliation_string: State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Huan Li
raw_affiliation_string: State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Xinyan Ju
raw_affiliation_string: State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Xiyuan Ke
raw_affiliation_string: State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Dajian Liu
raw_affiliation_string: State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, Center for Optical & Electromagnetic Research, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China
raw_author_name: Daoxin Dai
raw_affiliation_string: Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, State Key Laboratory for Modern Optical Instrumentation, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics (Hanining) , Zhejiang University , Hangzhou 310058 , China; Ningbo Research Institute , Zhejiang University , Ningbo 315100 , China

Abstract: Abstract Optical signal processing has been playing a crucial part as powerful engine for various information systems in the practical applications. In particular, achieving large-scale programmable chips for signal processing are highly desirable for high flexibility, low cost and powerful processing. Silicon photonics, which has been developed successfully in the past decade, provides a promising option due to its unique advantages. Here, recent progress of large-scale programmable silicon photonic chip for signal processing in microwave photonics, optical communications, optical computing, quantum photonics as well as dispersion controlling are reviewed. Particularly, we give a discussion about the realization of high-performance building-blocks, including ultra-low-loss silicon photonic waveguides, 2 × 2 Mach–Zehnder switches and microring resonator switches. The methods for configuring large-scale programmable silicon photonic chips are also discussed. The representative examples are summarized for the applications of beam steering, optical switching, optical computing, quantum photonic processing as well as optical dispersion controlling. Finally, we give an outlook for the challenges of further developing large-scale programmable silicon photonic chips.