High Speed 2×2 Optical Switch in Silicon-on-Insulator Based on Plasma Dispersion Effect

Based on free carrier plasma dispersion effect, a 2×2 optical switch is fabricated in a silicon-on insulator substrate by inductively coupled-plasma technology and ion implantation. The device has a Mach--Zehnder interferometer structure, in which two directional couplers serve as the power splitter and combiner. The switch presents an insertion loss of 3.04dB and a response time of 496ns.