Demonstration of directed XOR/XNOR logic gates using two cascaded microring resonators

Abstract

We have designed and fabricated a directed logic architecture consisting of two silicon microring resonators that can perform XOR and XNOR operations. The microring resonators are modulated through thermo-optic effect. Two electrical modulating signals applied to the microring resonators represent the two operands of the logical operation. The logical function is evaluated through the directed propagation of light in the device, and the result is represented by the output optical signal. Both XOR and XNOR operations at $20\mathrm{kbit}∕\mathrm{s}$ are demonstrated.