17TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

MARCH 25. 2016

mmW-SPRAWL photonic integrated circuits for microwave photonics

Martijn Heck

27TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

37TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

The case for photonic integration

• system performance:speed, sensitivity and stability

• low cost for high volume• decreased size, weight and

power consumption (SWaP)

• component performance• inherent performance trade-

off

• competing technologies• discrete optics• electronics• MEMS, ...

Pros Cons

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• exponential bandwidth growth• telecommunications• exascale datacenters

• connectivity everywhere• 4G/5G wireless

• accurate metrology, sensing, radar, lidar, ...

47TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

There is a clear case for telecom and datacom

• increased performance:speed, sensitivity and stability

• increased functionality• low cost for high volume• decreased size, weight and

power consumption (SWaP)

• inherent performance trade-off

• high development cost• no standardization

• competing technologies• discrete optics• electronics• MEMS, ...

• exponential bandwidth growth• telecommunications• exascale datacenters

• connectivity everywhere• 4G/5G wireless• ”internet-of-things”

• ubiquitous sensors, networks

Pros Cons

PIC

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• energy efficiency• reduced cost

• technical feasibility:”good enough”

57TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

But for most other applications it’s a struggle

• increased performance:speed, sensitivity and stability

• increased functionality• low cost for high volume• decreased size, weight and

power consumption (SWaP)

• inherent performance trade-off

• high development cost• no standardization

• competing technologies• discrete optics• electronics• MEMS, ...

• exponential bandwidth growth• telecommunications• exascale datacenters

• connectivity everywhere• 4G/5G wireless• ”internet-of-things”

• ubiquitous sensors, networks

Pros Cons

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• performance too low• competing technologies

are (still) better

67TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

Some state of the art microwave technology

1 100 10k 1M 100M 10G

MLLDs

µOEODRO

lab/rack

analog-to-digital converters

microwave filters

10-GHz oscillators

chip

scal

e

77TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

Ultra low loss waveguide technology required

1 100 10k 1M 100M 10G

MLLDs

µOEODRO

lab/rack

resonator Q values > 100M

oscillator timing jitter << 10 fs(10 kHz – 10 MHz)

waveguide losses < 0.1 dB/m

87TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

Ultra-low loss waveguidesbased on silicon nitride

Bauters et al., OSA Opt. Exp., 19 (2011).

World record low loss:(0.045 ± 0.05) dB/m

97TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

Ultra-low loss waveguides required for high-end (microwave photonic) applications

• increased performance:speed, sensitivity and stability

• increased functionality• low cost for high volume• decreased size, weight and

power consumption (SWaP)

• inherent performance trade-off

• high development cost• no standardization

• competing technologies• discrete optics• electronics• MEMS, ...

• exponential bandwidth growth• telecommunications• exascale datacenters

• connectivity everywhere• 4G/5G wireless• ”internet-of-things”

• ubiquitous sensors, networks

Pros Cons

PIC

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1. ultra-low loss waveguide(ULLW) technology;

2. integration ULLW with III/V or silicon photonics

3. opportunities for high-performance applications

107TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

Millimeter-wave silicon photonics for future energy-efficient 5G networks

We use silicon photonics for 60 GHz – 90 GHz generation and modulationto address the increasing bandwidth demand for wireless communications. We will use thistechnology to realize energy-efficient wireless transceivers.

117TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

mmW-SPRAWL concept

Silicon photonic chip

RF

DFB laser

MOD

100 Gbps

filter

60 – 90 GHz

(QAM)

low-frequencyRF oscillator

< 20 GHz bandwidthsilicon modulator

127TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

Energy efficiency analysis: trade-off photonic and electronic power consumption

Power efficiency

Literature dataRC fitted model

Literature dataFitted model

MOD

higher drive voltage wider comb

higher drive frequency higher RF loss

higher drive frequency lower oscillator efficiency

137TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

A comprehensive simulation tool foroverall system efficiency

Mohammadhosseini and Heck, to be published

Frequency quadruplingoptimum for 30 GHz

generation

147TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

mmW-SPRAWL will optimize the energy efficiency of FiWi 5G systems

• increased performance:speed, sensitivity and stability

• increased functionality• low cost for high volume• decreased size, weight and

power consumption (SWaP)

• inherent performance trade-off

• high development cost• no standardization

• competing technologies• discrete optics• electronics• MEMS, ...

• exponential bandwidth growth• telecommunications• exascale datacenters

• connectivity everywhere• 4G/5G wireless• ”internet-of-things”

• ubiquitous sensors, networks

Pros Cons

PIC

tec

hn

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pla

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• energy efficiency• reduced cost (?)

• technical feasibility:”good enough”

157TH CALIFORNIAN-DANISH PHOTONICS WORKSHOP 2016

dr. Martijn J.R. HeckAssociate ProfessorDepartment of EngineeringAarhus University

mheck@eng.au.dk

Our research is supported by: