Multibit NOT logic gate enabled by a function programmable optical waveguide

Abstract

Multibit logic gates are of great importance in optical switching and photonic computing. A 4-bit parallel optical NOT logic gate is demonstrated by an optical switching/computing engine based on a multimode waveguide. The multimode interference (MMI) patterns can be altered by thermal electrodes because the number of guided modes, their profiles, and propagation constants can all be altered via the thermo-optic effect. Instead of conventional forward design based on time-consuming simulations, the proposed engine can update the thermal electrodes automatically and monitor the change of the interference in a synchronized and rapid way until the desired function is reached, all experimentally. We name the system “function programmable waveguide engine” (FPWE). As opposed to solutions where the phase or amplitude of light is taken as the signal, the input stays in the electronic domain, and the output is converted into optical intensity variations, calculated from a truth table. This simple, low-cost yet powerful engine may lead to the development of a new set of devices for on-chip photonic computing and signal switching.