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Non-volatile Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits using Mechanically Latched MEMS: A System-Level Scheme Enabling Power-Connection-Free Operation Without Performance Compromise

Ran Tao, Jifang Qiu, Zhimeng Liu, Hongxiang Guo, Yan Li, Jian Wu

TL;DR

Problem addressed: scalable programmable photonic integrated circuits suffer from high power consumption due to continuous actuation. The main approach: introduce a non-volatile architecture using MEMS actuators with mechanical latching and a system-level automatic configuration algorithm to compensate discrete states. Key contributions: a discrete-state TBU with $N=n^4$, a calibration-assisted optimization that makes $T_{config} \approx T_{target}$ under fabrication errors, and validation across five functionalities plus robustness and hardware-complexity analysis showing that $n=4$ latched positions suffice. The practical impact: enables power-connection-free PPIC operation with performance equivalent to conventional designs, supporting scalable, low-power photonic systems.

Abstract

Programmable photonic integrated circuits (PPICs) offer a versatile platform for implementing diverse optical functions on a generic hardware mesh. However, the scalability of PPICs faces critical power consumption barriers. Therefore, we propose a novel non-volatile PPIC architecture utilizing MEMS with mechanical latching, enabling stable passive operation without any power connection once configured. To ensure practical applicability, we present a system-level solution including both this hardware innovation and an accompanying automatic error-resilient configuration algorithm. The algorithm compensates for the lack of continuous tunability inherent in the non-volatile hardware design, thereby enabling such new operational paradigm without compromising performance, and also ensuring robustness against fabrication errors. Functional simulations were performed to validate the proposed scheme by configuring five distinct functionalities of varying complexity, including a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), a MZI lattice filter, a ring resonator (ORR), a double ORR ring-loaded MZI, and a triple ORR coupled resonator waveguide filter. The results demonstrate that our non-volatile scheme achieves performance equivalent to conventional PPICs. Robustness analysis was also conducted, and the results demonstrated that our scheme exhibits strong robustness against various fabrication errors. Furthermore, we explored the trade-off between the hardware design complexity of such non-volatile scheme and its performance. This study establishes a viable pathway to a new generation of power-connection-free PPICs, providing a practical and scalable solution for future photonic systems.

Non-volatile Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits using Mechanically Latched MEMS: A System-Level Scheme Enabling Power-Connection-Free Operation Without Performance Compromise

TL;DR

Problem addressed: scalable programmable photonic integrated circuits suffer from high power consumption due to continuous actuation. The main approach: introduce a non-volatile architecture using MEMS actuators with mechanical latching and a system-level automatic configuration algorithm to compensate discrete states. Key contributions: a discrete-state TBU with , a calibration-assisted optimization that makes under fabrication errors, and validation across five functionalities plus robustness and hardware-complexity analysis showing that latched positions suffice. The practical impact: enables power-connection-free PPIC operation with performance equivalent to conventional designs, supporting scalable, low-power photonic systems.

Abstract

Programmable photonic integrated circuits (PPICs) offer a versatile platform for implementing diverse optical functions on a generic hardware mesh. However, the scalability of PPICs faces critical power consumption barriers. Therefore, we propose a novel non-volatile PPIC architecture utilizing MEMS with mechanical latching, enabling stable passive operation without any power connection once configured. To ensure practical applicability, we present a system-level solution including both this hardware innovation and an accompanying automatic error-resilient configuration algorithm. The algorithm compensates for the lack of continuous tunability inherent in the non-volatile hardware design, thereby enabling such new operational paradigm without compromising performance, and also ensuring robustness against fabrication errors. Functional simulations were performed to validate the proposed scheme by configuring five distinct functionalities of varying complexity, including a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), a MZI lattice filter, a ring resonator (ORR), a double ORR ring-loaded MZI, and a triple ORR coupled resonator waveguide filter. The results demonstrate that our non-volatile scheme achieves performance equivalent to conventional PPICs. Robustness analysis was also conducted, and the results demonstrated that our scheme exhibits strong robustness against various fabrication errors. Furthermore, we explored the trade-off between the hardware design complexity of such non-volatile scheme and its performance. This study establishes a viable pathway to a new generation of power-connection-free PPICs, providing a practical and scalable solution for future photonic systems.
Paper Structure (9 sections, 6 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 9 sections, 6 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Principle
  3. Hardware design of TBU using MEMS with mechanical latching
  4. Automatic configuration algorithm
  5. Result
  6. Proof of Concept
  7. Robustness Analysis
  8. Hardware Complexity and Performance Trade-off
  9. Conclusion

Figures (6)

  • Figure 1: (a) Programmable photonic circuit (PPIC) interconnected by many tunable basic units (TBUs). (b) Non-volatile actuators could enable a new generation of PPICs that can be (re)configured for different functionalities when powered and operate stably without any electrical connection.
  • Figure 2: (a) Conventional continuous tuning TBU allows achieving any arbitrary coupling ratio $k\in \left[ 0,1 \right]$ and phase delay $\phi \in \left[ 0,2\pi \right)$. (b) The proposed TBU hardware architecture comprising (c) tunable directional couplers (DC) and (d) phase shifters (PS) implemented with MEMS actuators with mechanical latching, each featuring $n$ latching positions, allowing TBU as a whole achieving $N$ different operational states $\boldsymbol{S}_D=\left\{ \left( k_i,\phi _i \right) \left| i=1,2,\cdots ,N \right. \right\}$.
  • Figure 3: Automatic configuration algorithm.
  • Figure 4: Waveguide mesh connection diagrams, circuit layouts and configuration results for 5 different functionalities: (a) a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI); (b) a MZI lattice filter; (c) a ring resonator (ORR); (d) a double ORR ring-loaded MZI; (e) a triple ORR coupled resonator waveguide filter. For each functionality, the spectral responses achieved (f)-(j) by conducting the configuration algorithm on a D-PPIC (red dashed) are compared with the spectral performance of a conventional A-PPIC (green solid).
  • Figure 5: Waveguide mesh connection diagrams, circuit layouts for five different functionalities: (a) a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI); (b) a MZI lattice filter; (c) a ring resonator (ORR); (d) a double ORR ring-loaded MZI; (e) a triple ORR coupled resonator waveguide filter. Robustness analysis: under the realistic condition considering fabrication error: For each functionality, the spectral responses are compared between the target (green solid) and those achieved on an A-PPIC (blue dashed) and a D-PPIC (red dashed), configured respectively based on ideal error-free assumption (f)-(j) and using the proposed configuration algorithm (k)-(o).
  • ...and 1 more figures