Investigation of Optical Bi-stability in Micro-ring Resonator Structures

In this work, we investigate add-drop and all-pass micro-ring resonators to optimize their required parameters to achieve an improved hysteresis loop for silicon-based memory applications. Thermo-optic effect is applied to tune their working wavelength. By evaluating and comparing these two device configurations, we aim to determine the optimal choice for achieving better optical bistability. The provided theoretical analysis describes the impact of the thermo-optic coefficients of the micro-ring resonator on the bistable behavior. By varying these coefficients, we examine how the thermal response affects the switching characteristics and hysteresis effects in both micro-ring resonators. We also run numerical simulations where thermo-optic effect is applied by placing a micro-heater on top of each micro-ring resonator. The research involves varying several key parameters, such as the coupling coefficients, ring radius, and waveguide configurations, to optimize the hysteresis loop behavior. Through careful analysis and comparison, we determine the most suitable device configuration for achieving optimal performance and stability in memory systems.