A Unique Filter-Preserver Device for Digital Photonic Circuits

Vijayaaditya Bhairavabhatla and Srinivas Talabattula

Applied Photonics Lab, Electrical Communication Engineering Department Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka 560012, INDIA E-mail: aditya@ece.iisc.ernet.in
Abstract: We discuss micro ring resonator based optical logic gates using Kerr-type nonlinearity. Resonant wavelength selectivity is one key factor in achieving the desired gate. Based on basic gates like AND gate, OR gate etc. We proceed to propose a 3-bit binary adder circuit. Due to the presence of more than a single wavelength, the system gets complicated as we increase the number of components in the circuit. Hence it has been observed that for efficient designing and functioning of digital circuits in optical domain, we need a device which can give single wavelength output, filtering out all other wavelengths and at the same time preserve the digital characteristics of the output. We propose such filter-preserver device based on micro ring resonator.

structure which has the versatility of functioning as number of logic gates. Nonlinear properties of micro ring resonators are exploited in designing the gates. II. ANALYSIS In a basic ring resonator, a part of light is coupled to a ring waveguide by a straight waveguide. Fig.1 shows a single ring resonator structure.

I. INTRODUCTION Logic gates in electronics form the basic elements for computation and processing. For optical computing to become reality, it is essential that one can have such basic elements in optical domain too. Already considerable work has been done in this direction using integrated optical components such as directional coupler etc., Here we present micro optic ring resonator based logic gates. Micro ring resonators serve as robust, ultra compact devices for optical communication1. Fabrication and characterization of resonators with ring lengths 2-100 microns with the waveguide dimensions are about 1.5 m X 1.5 m have been done with some exiting results in recent times [1]. They are found to show superior performance in wavelength switches and filters applications. Moreover they can be integrated closely to have densities of 105 devices/cm2 [2]. Ring resonators have known to enhance the phase changes in the signal greatly when in near resonant wavelength. This has been used for many applications in both linear as well as nonlinear regions. Optical nonlinearities have found to be enhanced greatly when the resonator is kept at near resonance state [3]. It is shown that nonlinear optical resonator in combination with Mech-Zehnder type interferometer switch, four orders for reduction in the voltage requirement is possible [4]. Coupled resonator structures have also been studied where, side coupling is considered [8], [9], [12]. Embedded double ring structure [7], vertically coupled resonators [13], racetrack ring [10] structures have also been reported. A novel mutually coupled three ring resonator (MCTRR) is also proposed by the authors [11]. The structure has a potential use as adddrop multiplexers, filters, cross-connects etc., for all optical communication and networks. Here we present optical logic gates based on micro ring resonators. We present a simple

Figure.1 single ring resonator and its output characteristics

After traversing along the circumference of the ring the light couples back into the straight waveguide. Having acquired additional phase, this field interacts with field present in the straight waveguide giving resonant characteristics at the output in a way similar to that of a Fabry-Perot filter [5], [6]. For specific wavelengths, known as resonant wavelengths, the output E2 becomes zero while for other wavelengths it is almost equals E1. Introducing nonlinearity gives a change in refractive index of the medium and hence the phase change experienced by the light as it propagates along the circumference of the ring. The refractive index is given by,

1 n = n0 + n2 E 2 2

(1)

Where, E is the optical field and n0 is the index of refraction of the medium. n2 is the nonlinear refractive index which depends of the material parameters and is related to the third order nonlinear susceptibility 3 as,

n2 =

3 3 2 4 0cn

( 2)

Fig.3 shows a typical AND gate based on ring resonator. The corresponding truth table is also shown.

Nonlinearity in a ring waveguide is more interesting since the field is greatly enhanced inside the ring, thus, supporting nonlinear effects for even smaller pump powers. In this analysis we assume the two input wavelengths, 1.55 m and 1.5504 m. For logic gates we present, we need one of the wavelengths to be at resonance with the ring structure while the other should be out of resonance. And depending on the type of gate, it should be close to resonance of far away from the resonance, in the sense that the power required to bring about the shift in resonance wavelength should be smaller and larger. We consider a structure for which the resonance wavelength is at 1.55m. Fig.2 shows the output characteristics of such structure. It also depicts the shift in resonant wavelength due to nonlinearity.

Figure.3 AND gate based on ring resonator

Here the ring dimensions are such that, wavelength of A is out of resonance while for B it is resonant. We choose the powers such that when both A and B are present, there will be corresponding refractive index change due to Kerr effect which makes wavelength B to go off resonance. It is desirable to have wavelength A also at off resonance. However, the output will show a value of 1 irrespective of whether wavelength A becomes resonant or not. When both A and B are 0 then the output is 0. It will be same for either of A or B is 1, as can be understood by the properties of A and B. When both are present, due to nonlinear effect, B becomes off resonance and hence passes through Out port. B. OR Gate The following Fig.4 shows an OR gate. Note that the structure is identical to that of an AND gate except that the output port has been changed.

Figure.2 Shift in resonant wavelength due to nonlinearity

The dotted curve shows the case when the nonlinear effect is absent while the solid curve shows the characteristics due to the presence of nonlinearity. The nonlinear index is taken to be 2 10-12 m2 /W. The other wavelength is chosen at and out of resonance point. Now if the structure is a ring of radius 37.5m, we calculate that the refractive index change required for making resonant wavelength shift from 1.55m to 1.5504m to be 0.000511. This requires a pump power of 26.5mW. One can adjust the powers of the two input fields such that one can achieve the desirable refractive index change. In this way we can be sure that the second wavelength is close to the resonance wavelength. So if both the inputs are present there will be a shift in resonant wavelength since their combined power is greater than equal to the required power for resonant wavelength shift. On the other hand if the ring radius is of 20m, the index change required will be 0.0007. Since we have already fixed the powers of the input, which can be give only the refractive index shift of 0.000511, we can safely say that the other wavelength is far from resonance i.e., it cannot become resonant wavelength for any combination of the inputs. Using these two cases we proceed to design logic gates in optical micro ring resonator structures.
III. LOGIC GATES

Figure.4 OR gate based on ring resonator

We use the same wavelengths as in the case of AND gate. Also the structure is designed in such a way that even after nonlinear perturbation, wavelength at A remains off resonance. The nonlinearity will make wavelength B, which is initially at resonance, to go off resonance. Hence we will have output at Out port if at least one of the two inputs are present. C. XOR Gate In Fig.5 we see XOR gate properties of a ring structure. Here the structure is designed such that, due to the nonlinear effect, wavelength of A will become resonant when both the signals are present.

Figure.5 XOR gate based on ring resonator

A. AND Gate

As can be understood this acts as an OR gate if no input is present or in the case where one of the input is present. In the case where both A and B are present, due to Kerr effect, B becomes off resonant while wavelength at A becomes resonant wavelength. This gives zero output at the Out port shown. Hence XOR gate properties are achieved. D. NOT Gate Next we see a NOT gate shown in Fig.6. It is again similar to the XOR gate structure.
Figure.8 Functional diagram of 3-bit binary adder

Figure.6 NOT gate based on ring resonator

The difference being, instead of another signal B, we have a control signal which is 1 at all times. The control signal is of resonant wavelength. A is at off resonance. When A is absent, Out port has output due to control signal. When A is present, due to nonlinear effect, signals of both control and A will be absent at Out port. However in this case the output, though shows a NOT gate properties, will have wavelength that is different from input wavelength at A. In case one needs the same wavelength, one can use another ring which exchanges the wavelengths. E. Half Adder Finally we look at a half adder design. A single ring structure can also act as a half adder. The system shown in Fig.7 is the similar to that of an XOR gate. We now also include the output of the other waveguide which gives the carry value (This is nothing but an AND gate output!).

As can be seen, it consists of logical elements like OR gates and half adders. Since we already seen ring resonator based OR gates and half adders, one can easily incorporate those and design a 3-bit binary adder. Ai and Bi correspond to the binary bit at position 2i. Similarly, Si corresponds to the output bit. C gives the carry bit. As can be observed output of one logical element is given as input to another element. However, at the output of the gates and half adders, we have not considered the wavelength. For the case where output is 1, we have situations where it is due to wavelength A; sometimes it is due to wavelength B and in some other times it is due to the presence of both the wavelengths. So, though each element shows digital properties as far as output power is concerned, they fail to maintain single wavelength output. This is a big hindrance if one wants to design complex circuits using ring structures where in output of one element is fed as input to the other element. The functioning of each logic element is highly dependent on the defined wavelengths at their input. So, we need a mechanism by which we can separate the two wavelengths and still get the corresponding output characteristics. To be more specific we need a device which can give the same output properties but on a single wavelength. V. FILTER-PRESERVER To overcome the problem we have come up with a novel device based on ring resonators. The following Fig.9 does exactly the function required. It filters out one wavelength while preserving the properties of the input.

Figure.7 Half adder based on ring resonator

One can easily deduce the properties of half adder from various combinations of the input. IV. 3-BIT BINARY ADDER By seeing the above structures one will be tempted to go further to design complex circuits. We here present a design of a 3-bit binary adder based on ring resonator structure. The functional diagram of a 3-bit binary adder is shown in Fig.8.

Figure.9 Filter-preserver structure based on ring resonator

The input can have the presence of both A0 and B0 wavelengths as shown. For convenience we designed such that wavelength A will be the output. The first ring is designed such that it is off resonance for A0 and resonant for B0 (A and A0 have the same wavelength). When both of the inputs are zero we get zero output. When only A0 is present, due to nonlinear effect, the wavelength corresponding to A (and hence A0) becomes resonant and we have an output at N, the wavelength of which will be that of A. When only B0 is present, due to nonlinear effect, the ring will be resonant for A and off resonant for B0. Now at the output we have both A and B0 (note that its not A or B0 but its A and B0). In the case where both A0 and B0 are present we have the scenario where in spite of nonlinearity, either A or A0 to be present at output with or without B0. In all cases the presence of A (A0) is seen at the output N. Now we just have to filter out the extra B0 wavelength, if present, from the output. This can be easily done using a ring whose path length corresponds to the wavelength of the B signal. Hence at the output we have only wavelength A but with all the properties of input (A0/B0/A0B0) preserved as shown in the truth table in Fig.10.

In this paper we have shown the applications of nonlinear ring resonator structures for logic gates. Basic logic gate functioning for AND, OR, NOT, XOR gates and half adder are shown. A novel architecture of filter-preserver device is proposed. This device will be of great use while designing digital photonic circuits. Necessity if such a device will be present in photonic circuits irrespective of other components used for obtaining digital characteristics. We also demonstrate an optical 3-bit binary adder is designed using micro ring resonators. REFERENCES
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[2]

[3] [4]

[5] [6] Figure.10 Truth table of Filter-preserver device

[7] [8]

This output can be now again be used as input to other gates. Similar structure can be designed for the case where we need the output to be in wavelength of signal B. Hence we modify the functional diagram shown in Fig.8 in such a way that it works for the optical gates based on ring resonator structures. Fig.11 gives the modified version.

[9] [10]

[11] [12]

[13]

Figure.11 Modified functional diagram of a 3-bit binary adder

In Fig.11 Fa and Fb represent the filter preservers with output in the wavelengths of A and B respectively. One should take care that same wavelengths are not given as input to one structure. VI. CONCLUSION