Uniform and high-performance eight-channel bent waveguide SOA array for hybrid PICs

A uniform and high performance eight-channel spot-size-converter integrated SOA (SSC-SOA) array for optical switching gate applications is demonstrated. Bow-shaped waveguides are used to achieve high gain and high ON-OFF ratio switching. All channels of the fabricated eight-channel array show a high fiber-to-fiber gain of 12.7 dB, low polarization-dependent gain (PDG) of <0.5 dB, and a high ON-OFF ratio of >50 dB at a low drive current of 40 mA.