Integrated thermo-optic switch with thermally isolated and heat restricting pillars

A thermo-optic switch, comprising:nan optical waveguide;a resistive heater in thermal contact with a surface of the optical waveguide; anda plurality of heat flow restricting pillars connected to sides of the optical waveguide and supporting the optical waveguide such that the optical waveguide is substantially thermally isolated from a substrate below the optical waveguide by a gap formed between the optical waveguide and the substrate, and wherein the pillars restrict heat flow from the optical waveguide to a supporting structure that supports the pillars,wherein a surface of each of the pillars closest to the optical waveguide is smaller than a surface of each of the pillars farthest from the optical waveguide, andwherein a width of the surface of each of the pillars closest to the optical waveguide is about 1 micron and a width of the surface of the pillars farthest from the optical waveguide is in a range of about 1.8 microns to about 2.5 microns.

A network component configured for manipulating optical signals, the network component comprising:na processor;a receiver connected to the processor; anda photonic integrated circuit (PIC) connected to the receiver, wherein the PIC comprises a plurality of thermo-optical switches, wherein each of the thermo-optical switches comprises:nan optical waveguide;a resistive heater in thermal contact with a surface of the optical waveguide; anda plurality of heat flow restricting pillars connected to sides of the optical waveguide and supporting the optical waveguide such that the optical waveguide is substantially thermally isolated from a substrate below the optical waveguide by a gap formed between the optical waveguide and the substrate, and wherein the pillars restrict heat flow from the optical waveguide to a supporting structure that supports the pillars,wherein a surface of each of the pillars closest to the optical waveguide is smaller than a surface of each of the pillars farthest from the optical waveguide, andwherein a width of the surface of each of the pillars closest to the optical waveguide is about 1 micron and a width of the surface of the pillars farthest from the optical waveguide is in a range of about 1.8 microns to about 2.5 microns.

A photonic integrated circuit (PIC), comprising:na plurality of optical inputs; anda plurality of thermo-optic switches connected to the inputs, wherein each of the thermo-optic switches comprises:nan optical waveguide;a resistive heater in thermal contact with a surface of the optical waveguide; anda plurality of heat flow restricting pillars connected to sides of the optical waveguide and supporting the optical waveguide such that the optical waveguide is substantially thermally isolated from a substrate below the optical waveguide by a gap formed between the optical waveguide and the substrate, and wherein the pillars restrict heat flow from the optical waveguide to a supporting structure that supports the pillars,wherein a surface of each of the pillars closest to the optical waveguide is smaller than a surface of each of the pillars farthest from the optical waveguide, andwherein a width of the surface of each of the pillars closest to the optical waveguide is about 1 micron and a width of the surface of the pillars farthest from the optical waveguide is in a range of about 1.8 microns to about 2.5 microns.