Microring and microdisk resonator-based devices for on-chip optical interconnects, particle manipulation and biosensing

Silicon photonics using microdisk and microring resonators are finding technologically important applications from telecommunications and on-chip optical interconnects to optofluidics and biosensing. Silicon-based microresonators that partially confine light by total internal reflection are versatile device structures which are highly wavelength-selective, reconfigurable via various refractive index tuning mechanisms, micrometer-scale footprint, and readily in/out-coupled with integrated waveguides. In this paper, we will highlight our latest progress in silicon photonics using microdisk and microring resonators for on-chip optical interconnects, optofluidics and biosensing applications including the experimental demonstrations of: (i) optical time delay and advance using silicon microring resonators integrated with p-i-n diodes; (ii) photocurrent spectroscopy of microdisk resonators using two-photon-absorption induced photocarriers; (iii) optical trapping and transporting of microparticles using a water-clad silicon nitride microring resonator; and (iv) coupled microdisk resonator optical waveguide-based refractive index sensors.