Silicon optical diode with 40 dB nonreciprocal transmission

Abstract

A passive all-silicon optical diode is demonstrated to realize a record high nonreciprocal transmission ratio (NTR) of 40 dB. Individual microrings that make up the device are experimentally studied to explain the nonlinear power dynamics. There is a compromise between the NTR and insertion loss, and possible solutions for further improvements are discussed. This work provides a way to realize extremely high optical nonreciprocity on chip for optical information processing applications.