Overview of the nonlinear photonics platforms at the telecom C-band

We present our recent experimental studies of the nonlinear optical performances of semiconductor waveguides and devices at the telecom C-band. In particular, we explore optical nonlinearity in silicon-on-insulator (SOI), InGaAsP/InP and silicon nitride (SiN) at the wavelength range around 1550 nm. Some of the materials explored in this study exhibit nonlinear and free-carrier absorption, posing a considerable challenge to functional nonlinear optical interactions. We perform experimental measurements of the nonlinear optical effects under such realistic conditions and analyze the impact of free carriers on the beneficial optical nonlinearities in the structures under investigation.