Compact silicon-photonic mode-division (de)multiplexer using waveguide-wrapped microdisk resonators.

We experimentally demonstrate, to the best of our knowledge, the first microdisk-based silicon-photonic mode-division (de)multiplexer circuit, which is compatible with wavelength-division multiplexing for high aggregate bandwidth on-chip optical communications. This circuit uses waveguide-wrapped microdisk resonators, featuring low levels of intermodal crosstalk and insertion loss within an ultracompact footprint. In addition, the proposed device presents an increased free spectral range, allowing for 530 combined data channels. Furthermore, the microdisk structure naturally supports vertically oriented depletion-type pn junctions, which have been shown to reach subfemtojoule-per-bit modulation efficiencies. The high modulation efficiency, compactness, and wide free spectral range of waveguide-wrapped microdisk resonators present the potential for higher bandwidth and lower energy consumption in next-generation data processing and communication applications.