We demonstrate a 32 × 32 path-independent-insertion-loss optical path switch that integrates 1024 thermooptic Mach-Zehnder switches and 961 intersections on a small, 11 × 25 mm2 die. The switch is fabricated on a 300-mm-diameter silicon-on-insulator wafer by a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor-compatible process with advanced ArF immersion lithography. For reliable electrical packaging, the switch chip is flip-chip bonded to a ceramic interposer that arranges the electrodes in a 0.5-mm pitch land grid array. The on-chip loss is measured to be 15.8 ± 1.0 dB, and successful switching is demonstrated for digital-coherent 43-Gb/s QPSK signals. The total crosstalk of the switch is estimated to be less than -20 dB at the center wavelength of 1545 nm. The bandwidth narrowing caused by dimensional errors that arise during fabrication is discussed.

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A detailed analysis of micro-and nanoantennas is crucial for enhancing the performance of photodetectors in the mid-and far-infrared (IR) region. In contrast to the rapid progress in IR detectors based on nanodevices, the local nanoscale properties of antennas for the purpose of near-field coupling with these detectors have not been well investigated. In this work, we fabricated and studied a logarithm-spiral (logspiral) antenna with an arm termination, which was designed as a low-loss, wide-band antenna for highly efficient near-field interaction with nanoscale IR detectors. By using a scattering-type near-field optical microscope (s-SNOM) combined with a highly stable quantum cascade laser, we observed a nanoscale spatial distribution of amplitudes generated via IR illumination on the antenna surface. Experimental and simulated results revealed a clear dependence on IR-light polarization corresponding to the rotationally symmetric structure of the spiral antenna. Furthermore, phase mapping measurements indicated a π reversal of the out-of-plane phase between two adjacent antenna probes regardless of polarization direction, providing a possibility of efficient near-field coupling with nanoscale detectors. These results demonstrate that s-SNOM imaging offers a powerful tool for gaining useful information regarding mutual coupling between optical antennas and nanostructures.

A Bull's eye (BE) plasmonic structure exhibits a powerful property of highly enhanced light transmission through a sub-wavelength aperture. However, the BE structure in the terahertz (THz) region exhibits the problems of a relatively low THz-field enhancement factor and a large area with an increasing groove number. Here, we report on a design of a THz BE structure that utilizes a solid immersion method based on the high refractive index of a silicon (Si) material. By fabricating a deep-etched Si template covered with a gold film, we achieved a greatly enhanced THz transmission with an enhancement factor of up to ∼108 and also miniaturized the structure size by the factor of 11. These features demonstrate that the BE performance can be further improved by engineering dielectric materials.

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