Stress reduction in planar waveguide using polymer top layer

Planar optical waveguides consisting of layers from different materials created at elevated temperatures usually exhibit substantial stresses. By controlling the layer thickness of polymeric top layer on planar waveguide structures, it is possible to use very thin layers for stress compensation, significantly reducing required deposition times. It is possible to reduce birefringence within planar device by controlling top polymer layer thickness with thermal expansion coefficient greater than silica or PMMA.     

Stress-induced birefringence control in optical planar waveguides

For what is to our knowledge the first time, the thermal-stress formula in analytical form is derived for the core layer in an optical planar waveguide by the thin-film approximation, which is based on a closed-form solution in multilayered isotropic structures off the edges. This formula indicates that elastic, thermal, and structural parameters can affect the magnitude of the stress. Using the formula, one can remove thermal stress and hence stress-induced birefringence by proper waveguide design.     

光波导覆层热膨胀系数对应力双折射影响的分析

用有限元方法计算了硅基光波导器件的应力，得到由应力引起的双折射，从理论上分析了内应力对器件偏振特性的影响。得出结论：硅基与其它层材料热膨胀系数的不同，是引起芯区双折射的主要因素，通过掺杂、调整覆层的热膨胀系数，可以得到双折射系数较小的光波导。     

溶胶-凝胶法制备SiO2-TiO2平板光波导工艺研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了SiO₂-TiO₂平板光波导,计算了平板光波导通光条件,分析了硅/钛溶胶-凝胶材料的热性能,观测了平板光波导的结构形貌,并测试了其通光损耗。结果表明：经过200℃,30 min干燥处理的凝胶薄膜呈疏松多孔状态,对于非对称平板波导,存在芯层通光截止厚度,而且当SiO₂-TiO₂芯层厚度为0.5 μm时,SiO₂下包层厚度至少有6 μm才能防止1550 nm波长光泄露入单晶硅衬底中。制备的光波导对于1550 nm波长光传输损耗最小值为0.34 dB/cm。     

Design and numerical analysis for low birefringence silica on silicon waveguides

A new fabrication technology for three-dimensionally buried silica on silicon optical waveguide based on deep etching and thermal oxidation is presented.Using this method,a silicon layer is left at the side of waveguide.The stress distribution and effective refractive index are calculated by using finite element method and finite different beam propagation method,respectively.The results indicate that the stress of silica on silicon optical waveguide fabricated by this method can be matched in parallel and vertical directions and stress birefringence can be effectively reduced due to the side-silicon layer.     

Eliminating the birefringence in silicon-on-insulator ridge waveguides by use of cladding stress

We propose and demonstrate the use of the cladding stress-induced photoelastic effect to eliminate modal birefringence in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) ridge waveguides. Birefringence-free operation was achieved for waveguides with otherwise large birefringence by use of properly chosen thickness and stress of the upper cladding layer. With the stress levels typically found in cladding materials such as SiO2, the birefringence modification range can be as large as 10(-3). In arrayed waveguide grating demultiplexers that were fabricated in a SOI platform, we demonstrated the reduction of the birefringence from 1.2 x 10(-3) (without the upper cladding) to 4.5 x 10(-5) when a 0.8-microm oxide upper cladding with a stress of -320 MPa (compressive) was used. Because the index changes induced by the stress are orders of magnitude smaller than the waveguide core-cladding index contrast, the associated mode mismatch loss is negligible.     

平面光波导用于实时测试生化反应新方法的研究

在分析经典消逝波光波导生化传感器的基础上,为寻找性能更佳的传感器,探讨用更为直观的截止特性来进行生化传感。分别对三层及四层平板波导进行了研究,指出了作为基于截止特性的生化传感器三层波导结构存在的局限性。在理论上研究了可以在四层波导中使用变折射率材料来进行基于截止特性的生化传感,并给出了由空气隙、极化聚合物、高折射率薄膜、待测物组成的传感器结构示意图。用数值分析的方法绘出了此装置的灵敏度与高折射率薄膜厚度的关系曲线,并将它同经典消逝波光波导生化传感器灵敏度与薄膜厚度关系图进行了比较。结果表明,这种新型传感器理论上可以在较厚的薄膜结构中达到很高的灵敏度。     

Negative index and indefinite media waveguide couplers

We study the coupling interaction between dielectric waveguides and coupling elements made from negative-refracting media. The coupling configuration consists of a length of dielectric waveguide, which terminates either directly into or near a planar layer composed of the negative-refracting medium, and is followed by a second waveguide. Radiation output from the first waveguide is refocused at the position of the second waveguide, so that the negative-refracting layer serves as a coupler between the waveguides. Because both isotropic negative-index layers and bilayers of indefinite media can recover the near-field, evanescent components of a source field distribution, the coupling between the input and output waveguides can be highly efficient – in principle providing perfect, lossless coupling. We present simulations and some initial experimental results illustrating the coupling effect, and speculate on the potential for optical fiber couplers and integrated modulators. PACS 42.79.Gn; 41.20.-q; 42.70.-a     

Single-photon diode by exploiting the photon polarization in a waveguide

A single-photon optical diode operates on individual photons and allows unidirectional propagation of photons. By exploiting the unique polarization configuration in a waveguide, we show here that a single-photon optical diode can be accomplished by coupling a quantum impurity to a passive, linear optical waveguide which possesses a locally planar, circular polarization. We further show that the diode provides a near unitary contrast for an input pulse with finite frequency bandwidth and can be implemented in a variety of types of waveguides. Moreover, the performance of the diode is not sensitive to the intrinsic dissipation of the quantum impurity.     

Planar low-contrast Bragg waveguide with periodically arranged delta-function walls

An analytical theory of planar low-contrast Bragg optical waveguides, based on representation of thin diffuse layers by delta functions, was developed. A dispersion relation for an optical waveguide with a small number of layers was derived. Losses were numerically calculated for an optical waveguide with parameters close to those of actual fiber, known from the literature. The presented model is more realistic than the model with sharp layer interfaces.     

Measurement of birefringence in integrated optical waveguides by use of a microwave-modulated optical wave

We present a technique for measuring birefringence (B) in integrated optical waveguides by use of a microwave-modulated optical wave. It is shown that the technique is able to yield an accurate measurement of birefringence. In addition, an approximate estimate of birefringence dispersion (dB/dlambda) can be achieved by means of tuning the wavelength of the light source and measuring the dependence of the birefringence on the wavelength. As an example of the use of the technique, we show how to evaluate an innovative Ti:LiNbO (3) waveguide. The results show that such a Ti:LiNbO (3) waveguide has a birefringence of 0.0783+/-0.0001 and a birefringence dispersion of 0.05+/-0.01mum (-1) when the optical wavelength is approximately 1.560mum .     

硅基二氧化硅光波导器件偏振特性的理论分析

从理论上分析了硅基二氧化硅光波导器件的芯区尺寸、相对折射率差、内应力和弯曲径对器件偏振特性的影响,得出结论：小折射率差的正方形波导的双折射系数小;内应力对双折射的影响比几何参数大;弯曲半径较小时,双折射系数较大,弯曲损耗也较大。     

Optical waveguide modelling and design for evanescent field chemical sensors

Abstact Analytical and numerical techniques are presented for determining the sensitivity of optical waveguides as evanescent wave absorption sensors. Analytical expressions based on a ray optics approach are derived for planar and multimode fibre sensors. The matrix method is used for multilayer structures to determine both the sensitivity and the effect of intrinsic waveguide losses. It is shown how more complex waveguide geometries such as fibres with a D-shaped cross-section may be assessed by the finite-difference method combined with perturbation analysis. Some examples are given demonstrating how the results enable the design of sensors with optimum sensitivity.     

Mode analysis of realistic optical waveguide structures and microstructured holey fibers by modal field evolution

In this article, we describe a useful technique for calculating modes of practical optical waveguides having two-dimensional arbitrary transverse refractive index profile. The method uses a finite difference platform for evaluating Helmholtz's equation in scalar and semivectorial forms through a field evolution algorithm. The method is straightforward, easy to handle and does not involve any complex analysis or matrix formulation. We tested the accuracy of our analysis approach by applying it on a large number of realistic waveguide problems having known results or results available in the literature. The formulation has facilitated us to study the modal properties, viz., field distribution, birefringence, dispersion and mode effective area, of a variety of practical two-dimensional structures namely, planar structure, coupler, semiconductor optical waveguides, optical fibers and arbitrary profile microstructured fibers which are uniquely important in photonics and guided-wave devices. The algorithm will therefore be very useful in designing and studying any arbitrary-structure waveguides, and to explore new geometry and properties.     

Stress effects in prism coupling measurements of thin polymer films

Due to the increasingly important role of some polymers in optical waveguide technologies, precise measurement of their optical properties has become important. Typically, prism coupling to slab waveguides made of materials of interest is used to measure the relevant optical parameters. However, such measurements are often complicated by the softness of the polymer films when stress is applied to the prism to couple light into the waveguides. In this work, we have investigated the optical properties of three different polymers, polystyrene (PS), polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA), and benzocyclobutane (BCB). For the first time, the dependence of the refractive index, film thickness, and birefringence on applied stress in these thin polymer films was determined by means of the prism coupling technique. Both symmetric trapezoid shaped and right-angle prisms were used to couple the light into the waveguides. It was found that trapezoid shaped prism coupling gives better results in these thin polymer films. The refractive index of PMMA was found to be in the range of 1.4869 up to 1.4876 for both TE and TM polarizations under the applied force, which causes a small decrease in the film thickness of up to 0.06 m. PMMA waveguide films were found not to be birefringent. In contrast, both BCB and PS films exhibit birefringence albeit of opposing signs. PACS 42.82.Et; 78.20.Ci; 78.20.Fm     

Fabrication and study of a metal-clad planar waveguide based biosensor

A metal-clad planar optical waveguide biosensor having five layer structure has been fabricated to study the detection of Pseudomonas and Pseudomonas-like bacteria. This waveguide is designed to increase the overlap of the evanescent field extension from the sensor face with the micro-scale biological objects in the bulk solution, to place most of the entire volume of the bacteria within the evanescent field. The results presented here leads to a significant optimization of the important design parameters to sense micro-scale biological objects. We have compared our computed results with the results obtained by similar non-metallic clad biosensor. The effect of affinity-layer refractive index on the sensitivity of these planar waveguides is also studied. We have shown this for some special cases by obtaining reflection dips at the particular angle of incidence. Our observations show that the metal-clad planar optical waveguide biosensor having higher affinity refractive index will give better sensitivity than other similar non-metallic clad biosensor. The validation of metal-clad planar optical waveguide sensor for the detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterium is also made.     

掺半导体玻璃波导特性研究

利用离子交换技术制成了单模和多模掺CdSxSe_1-x半导体玻璃波导。通过对波导参数的测量得出这种波导的折射率剖面满足费米函数分布。同时,对这种K⁺—Na⁺离子交换技术得到的单模波导在0.5145μm波长下输入—输出功率的测量,观测到它的功率限制作用。并得到在Ar⁺激光0.5145μm波长下吸收系敲是4cm^-1。在这篇文章中,我们对波导的光功率限制起源于热效应进行了分析和讨论。     

基于有限元的平面光波导粘接热应力分析

基于有限元理论对阵列光纤和波导芯片粘接情况进行了建模与仿真,分析了在温度变化下不同粘接区域厚度的热应力和微位移的产生和分布,结果表明粘接界面的边缘区域对温度变化最敏感.根据光弹效应定性分析了粘接区域的应力双折射,并利用光束传播法计算了由此微位移所导致的光功率损耗,结果表明若以附加损耗小于0.15 dB的标准考察,则必须要求粘胶厚度的理论值在16 μm以内.总结了温度变化和在相同条件下不同粘胶厚度对平面光波导封装性能的影响规律.     

Multielement integrated optical devices based on high-refractive-index materials

The effect of an additional high-refractive-index layer on the properties of planar waveguides for multielement integrated optical devices is considered. The conditions for highly efficient coupling (self-coupling) upon beam propagation from the three-layer to the four-layer region are determined. Technological recommendations for the production of optical waveguide beam splitters with an increased number of output elements are given.     

Dispersion Characteristics of Waveguide Arrays in Optical Spectrum Analyzers

Formulas for calculating the spectral characteristics of waveguide arrays, which are incorporated into waveguide spectrum analyzers based on planar waveguides, channel waveguides, and fiber optical waveguides, are derived taking into account the contribution of both the waveguide dispersion and the material dispersion to the dispersion factor. These formulas are used to study the dependence of the dispersion factor on the waveguide-system parameters for specific models of waveguide arrays. It is shown that consideration of contributions of the waveguide dispersion and material dispersion can affect profoundly the spectral characteristics of waveguide arrays.