Silicon-on-Insulator Optical Buffer Based on Magneto-Optical 1 × 3 Micro-Rings Array Coupled Sagnac Ring

Abstract

Optical buffer is a key technology to control optical routing and solve channel competition, which directly determines the performance of information processing and storage. In this study, a switchable optical buffer using the nonreciprocal silicon-on-insulator (SOI) magneto-optical micro-ring (MOMR) array coupled with Sagnac ring was introduced, which can exceed the time-bandwidth limitation. The transmission equations and propagation characteristics of optical signal in 1 × 3 micro-rings and Sagnac ring coupled 1 × 3 micro-rings based on two kinds of phase-change materials were studied. The group time delay, effective buffer time and readout operation in the buffer were also investigated.