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We present ultra-low power stress optic actuators for high-speed switching in photonic integrated circuits using the standard silicon nitride TriPleX™ platform. The stress-optic actuator is created by a piezoelectric layer (lead zirconate titanate, PZT) on top of a Si3N4-based TriPleX™ waveguide in our standard Asymmetric Double Stripe (ADS) cross section. The top cladding thickness in between the actuator and the waveguide is chosen to achieve minimal optical loss (≤0.01dB/cm). The electrodes are placed on the top of- and directly below the PZT layer allowing the generation of a vertical electric field across the layer. This electrical field deforms the PZT layer by means of the piezoelectric effect. As a consequence of the PZT deformation stress is induced in the underlying waveguide. In this way, the refractive index of the waveguide is controlled by the stress-optic effect brought about by actuating the PZT layer. To demonstrate the stress-optic based phase actuation experimentally, a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) is employed. The MZI is designed for operation at a wavelength of 1550 nm. We measure a half-wave voltage-length product (Vπ·cm) of 16 V·cm, while the half-wave-voltage length loss product (Vπ ·L·α) is 1.6 V·dB only. The 2π phase shift would be at 42 V. The measured response time is 4.25 μs. The quasi-DC power dissipation is able to go down to 1 μW. Compared with conventional thermo-optic actuators these characteristics show a dramatic improvement, being a factor of 50 faster in terms of switching speed and a factor of 100 000 lower in terms of quasi-DC power dissipation. This makes stress-optic actuators an attractive choice for the next generation integrated photonic circuits where ultra-low quasi-DC power dissipation and/or fast switching time and operation in the MHz range are required.
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