Numerical analysis of the performance of Mach-Zehnder interferometric logic gates enhanced with coupled nonlinear ring- resonators.

In this paper, the implementation of an all-optical logic gate based on a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) configuration is addressed with underlying nonlinear slot-waveguides. In order to reduce power consumption requirements, different ring-resonator structures are introduced in the arms of the MZI. A nonlinear Transfer Matrix Method is developed and used to analyze the response of the nonlinear MZI in order to optimize power requirements with maximum bit rates. The numerical analysis shows that a reduction in the switching power from 2.5 W to less than 5 mW can be achieved by a proper design of the ring-resonator structures introduced in the MZI arms. In addition, it is shown that the logic gate can handle bit rates higher than 60 Gbit/s.