Broadband ultra-compact nanophotonic optical modulators and switches

As multi-core processor architectures continue to evolve as a promising platform for high-performance computing, an additional set of challenges emerges for the global interconnects between cores. In particular, the limited throughput and large power consumption of electrical interconnects become dominant factors limiting the continued scaling of power performance. One promising solution is to replace conventional global interconnects with a CMOS-compatible intra-chip optical network, based on Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) nanophotonic integrated circuits.