integrated optics (original) (raw)
Definition: the technology dealing with the construction of photonic integrated circuits
photonic devices- optics
- geometrical optics
- wave optics
- Fourier optics
- quantum optics
- Gaussian optics
- technical optics
- aspheric optics
- adaptive optics
- diffractive optics
- integrated optics
- fiber optics
- flat optics
- micro-optics
- freeform optics
- laser optics
- nonlinear optics
- ultrafast optics
- infrared optics
- ultraviolet optics
- (more topics)
Related: photonic integrated circuitssilicon photonicsoptoelectronicsnanofibersoptical fiber communications
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What is Integrated Optics?
Integrated optics is a technology which aims at constructing so-called integrated optical devices or photonic integrated circuits or planar lightwave circuits, containing several or many optical components which are combined to fulfill some complex functions. Such components can e.g. be optical filters, modulators, amplifiers, lasers and photodetectors. They can, e.g., be fabricated on the surface of some crystalline material (such as silicon, silica, or LiNbO3) and connected with waveguides.
The original inspiration for integrated optics came from the technology of electronic integrated circuits, which has shown rapid development over several decades and has led to amazing achievements, such as complex and powerful microprocessors containing many millions of transistors, specialized signal processors and computer memory chips with huge data storage capacity. Unfortunately, integrated optics has not been able to match the progress of microelectronics in terms of the complexity of possible devices. This results from a number of technical limitations:
- While electronic circuits can contain extremely small wires, optical components need to be connected via waveguides, the dimensions of which usually cannot be much smaller than the wavelength, and which often cannot tolerate very sharp bends. (This limitation might be eliminated by using waveguides with very high index contrast, e.g. nanofibers or photonic bandgap waveguides.)
- Optical connections, e.g. between waveguides, and couplers are significantly more critical than electrical connections.
- Waveguides, device connections and passive optical components exhibit optical losses, which often need to be compensated with optical amplifiers. These are larger and more complex than electronic amplifiers based on transistors.
- Some types of optical components can hardly be miniaturized.
- There are different material platforms, which differ substantially in terms of capabilities and limitations, and it is not always easy to find a platform which can meet all requirements of an application. In contrast, the CMOS platform for microelectronics can cover most requirements of that area.
For these reasons, integrated optical circuits have not nearly reached the complexity of electronic integrated circuits. However, devices of moderate complexity can still be useful for example for optical fiber communications, where they can host multiple data transmitters and/or receivers, consisting of distributed feedback lasers, optical modulators, photodiodes, and optical filters (e.g. in the form of arrayed waveguide gratings). Recently, new hope for a powerful and cost-effective integrated optical technology has arisen from developments in silicon photonics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is integrated optics?
Integrated optics is a technology for creating devices called photonic integrated circuits or planar lightwave circuits. It involves combining multiple optical components, such as lasers, modulators, and waveguides, on a single chip to perform complex functions.
What are photonic integrated circuits (PICs) used for?
Why is integrated optics less advanced than microelectronics?
Progress in integrated optics is limited by several factors. Optical components are larger than electronic ones, connections are more critical, and optical losses often need compensation with complex amplifiers. Also, there is no single material platform as versatile as CMOS is for electronics.
What is silicon photonics?
Silicon photonics is a specific, promising technology platform within integrated optics. It leverages mature silicon fabrication techniques to create cost-effective and powerful integrated optical devices.
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Bibliography
| [1] | P. K. Tien, “Light waves in thin films and integrated optics”, Appl. Opt. 10 (11), 2395 (1971); doi:10.1364/AO.10.002395 |
|---|---|
| [2] | G. I. Stegeman and C. T. Seaton, “Nonlinear integrated optics”, J. Appl. Phys. 58 (12), R57 (1985); doi:10.1063/1.336205 |
| [3] | G. I. Stegeman et al., “Third order nonlinear integrated optics”, IEEE J. Lightwave Technol. 6 (6), 953 (1988); doi:10.1109/50.4087 |
| [4] | L. Thylen, “Integrated optics in LiNbO3: recent developments in devices for telecommunications”, IEEE J. Lightwave Technol. 6 (6), 847 (1988); doi:10.1016/0040-6090(89)90827-4 |
| [5] | I. Baumann et al., “Er-doped integrated optical devices in LiNbO3”, J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 2 (2), 355 (1996); doi:10.1109/2944.577395 |
| [6] | B. Jalali et al., “Advances in silicon-on-insulator optoelectronics”, J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 4 (6), 938 (1998); doi:10.1109/2944.736081 |
| [7] | K Okamoto, “Recent progress of integrated optics planar lightwave circuits”, Opt. Quantum Electron. 31 (2), 107 (1999); doi:10.1023/A:1006975415469 |
| [8] | L. Chang, S. Liu and J. E. Bowers, “Integrated optical frequency comb technologies”, Nature Photonics 16, 95 (2022); doi:10.1038/s41566-021-00945-1 |
(Suggest additional literature!)
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