Low-dispersion low free-spectral-range Mach-Zehnder interferometer with long straight path lengths on silicon

Abstract: Multiple Mach-Zehnder interferometers are constructed using fiber-Bragg grating couplers, y-branches, silicon waveguides, and/or broadband splitters in silicon on insulator strip waveguides to test the effect of variation in waveguide length between consecutive bends on the transmission gain spectrum, free-spectral range, group refractive index, and dispersion. Dispersion is mitigated by increasing the path length between consecutive bends of minimum radius. With long linear waveguide sections, a free spectral range of 0.41 nm is achieved.