Adiabatic Thermo-optic Mach-Zehnder Switch

In this Letter, we propose and demonstrate a high-speed and power-efficient thermo-optic switch using an adiabatic bend with a directly integrated silicon heater to minimize the heat capacity and therein maximize the performance of the thermo-optic switch. A rapid, τ=2.4 μs thermal time constant and a low electrical power consumption of P(π)=12.7 mW/π-phase shift were demonstrated representing a P(π)τ product of only 30.5 mW·μs in a compact device with a phase shifter of only ~10 μm long.