All-optical switching in Ta2O5 based micro-ring resonator

All-optical processing and generation are regarded as a key solution to achieve ultrahigh bitrate communication in next generation. Silicon based optical waveguides have been widely developed, including ultrafast electrical-optical modulator, splitter, wavelength generator, and etc. However, the carrier relaxation issues as well as inevitable two-photon absorption in communication regions limit its application in developing ultrafast all-optical modulation and supercontinuum generation. Recently, large optical bandgap materials have been utilized to demonstrate nonlinear waveguide applications for all-optical processing. Tantalum pentoxide (Ta
₂
O
₅
) used to serve as gate dielectric and optical coatings in optoelectronic devices due to its high dielectric constant and refractive index properties. Nowadays, Ta
₂
O
₅
with high optical nonlinearity and free of nonlinear absorption let it suitable in developing small footprint, high power operation optical devices [1, 2]. In this work, all-optical Kerr switching was demonstrated by using a Ta
₂
O
₅
-based micro-ring cavity.