[Zurück]

A. Nesic, M. Blaicher, T. Hoose, A. Hofmann, M. Lauermann, Y. Kutuvantavida, M. Nöllenburg, S. Randel, W. Freude, C. Koos:
"Photonic-integrated circuits with non-planar topologies realized by 3D-printed waveguide overpasses";
Optics Express, 27 (2019), 12; S. 17402 - 17425.

Complex photonic-integrated circuits (PIC) may have strongly non-planar topologies
that require waveguide crossings (WGX) when realized in single-layer integration platforms. The
number of WGX increases rapidly with the complexity of the circuit, in particular when it comes
to highly interconnected optical switch topologies. Here, we present a concept for WGX-free PIC
that relies on 3D-printed freeform waveguide overpasses (WOP).We experimentally demonstrate
the viability of our approach using the example of a 4 4 switch-and-select (SAS) circuit
realized on the silicon photonic platform. We further present a comprehensive graph-theoretical
analysis of di erent n n SAS circuit topologies. We find that for increasing port counts n of
the SAS circuit, the number of WGX increases with n4, whereas the number of WOP increases
only in proportion to n2.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.27.017402

https://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/publik_280644.pdf