Optimal design of a silicon-on-insulator nanowire waveguide for broadband wavelength conversion

Abstract

The broadband wavelength conversion based on four-wave mixing in a silicon nanowire waveguide is theoretically investigated by taking into account the influence of the waveguide loss and free-carrier absorption on the phase-matched condition. The lossy wavelength conversion is compared with the lossless one in terms of conversion efficiency and bandwidth. The size of the silicon-on-insulator nanowire waveguide is optimized to be 400 nm × 269 nm for broadband wavelength conversion by realizing a flattened dispersion. The pump wavelength is also optimized to 1538.7 nm in order to further enhance the conversion bandwidth. A 3-dB conversion bandwidth of over 280 nm is achieved in the optimized waveguide with the optimized pump wavelength.