Silver halide single-mode strip waveguides for the mid-infrared

We report the demonstration of single-mode AgCl(x)Br(1-x) strip waveguides for the mid-infrared (MIR). The waveguides were made by the deposition of AgCl(x)Br(1-x) layers on top of a Si-SiO(2) substrate, followed by photolithographic and lift-off processing. The propagation losses of 20 dB/cm were measured at λ=10.6 μm using the cut-back method. The development of these waveguides is a crucial step toward realizing AgCl(x)Br(1-x) MIR integrated optical circuits, which would be used for applications such as chemical sensing and stellar interferometry.     

Two-dimensional X-ray waveguides: fabrication by wafer-bonding process and characterization

The fabrication of two-dimensionally confining X-ray waveguides enables the generation of nanoscopic X-ray beams. First applications of such waveguides for lens-less holographic imaging have already been demonstrated, but were limited by the fabrication methods and the design. To overcome these limitations, we present here the fabrication process for a second generation of X-ray waveguide with air or vacuum as guiding channel, based on e-beam lithography, ion etching and subsequent wafer bonding. This is a first step towards waveguides fulfilling requirements of high transmission and high confinement, since the process can be scaled down to smaller channel dimensions from the present structures. We address the structuring method used and present results of first X-ray characterization at synchrotron beamlines, under two entirely different beam settings, corresponding to the coupling of a coherent beam and an incoherent beam. PACS 41.50.+h; 42.82.Cr; 07.85.Qe     

A study on a microring structure for practical devices

We propose a microring structure based on non-identical waveguides for the implementation in practical devices. Our design pays attention to aspects such as fabrication tolerances and fiber coupling efficiency. A detailed study has been carried out on the coupling between the non-identical waveguides in the analyzed structure.     

Radiatively coupled waveguide polarization splitter simulated by wave-matching-based coupled mode theory

Coupled mode theory is applied to an arrangement of three raised strip waveguides with a multimode central strip. We use semivectorial numerically computed modes of the three single isolated waveguides as a basis for propagating supermode analysis of the entire structure. The pronounced polarization dependence of the raised strip guides allows for the design of a conveniently short polarization splitter. We discuss design guidelines and estimate the fabrication tolerances. The accuracy of the coupled mode approach is assessed by comparison with rigorously computed supermodes for comparable two waveguide couplers. Both types of structures indicate the limits in the applicability of the coupled mode model.     

锗硅合金脊形光波导的优化分析与设计

根据脊形光波导的基本设计要求，分析了锗硅合金脊形波导的结构参数对其光传播特性的影响，并优化设计了结构参数，其合理性得到了实验验证。     

Laser-induced-forward-transfer: a rapid prototyping tool for fabrication of photonic devices

We propose a rapid prototyping method for the fabrication of optical waveguides based on the direct laser-printing method of ultrafast Laser-Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) followed by further processing. The method was implemented for the fabrication of titanium in-diffused lithium niobate channel waveguides and X-couplers by LIFT-depositing titanium metal followed by diffusion. Propagation loss as low as 0.8 dB/cm was measured in preliminary experiments.     

Polymer waveguides from alicyclic methacrylate copolymer fabricated by deep-UV exposure

We have investigated the fabrication of waveguides from alicyclic methacrylate copolymer based on refractive-index modification by deep-UV exposure. By optimizing the UV-exposure process, we were able to obtain single-mode waveguides with a propagation loss of 0.8 dB/cm at 1550 nm, which is due only to material losses in this wavelength range. The loss obtained here is comparable with that of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) waveguides fabricated by deep-UV exposure. The fabricated waveguide is also single mode at 808 nm, and its propagation loss is 0.6 dB/cm. This alicyclic methacrylate copolymer is a promising material for the fabrication of polymer waveguides by use of deep-UV exposure.     

Rod type photonic crystal optical line defect waveguides with optical modulations

This paper reports the design and principles of two dimensional rod-type photonic crystal (PhC) line defect waveguides for bandgap based optical waveguiding, static modulation and high speed dynamic optical switchings. Experiments were carried out for both high aspect ratio and slab type configurations. The differences in waveguiding mechanisms for the two configurations resulting from the presence of bottom cladding systems, without out-of-plane symmetries are compared for their advantages and disadvantages. In particular, the designs of non-top-clad optical waveguides of layout sizes within micrometers and operational frequencies centered at the optical communication wavelength of 1550 nm, were investigated for the feasibility of large scale integration by batch fabrication process techniques – such as sub-micrometer optical lithography etc. Based on such techniques, specifically designed dispersions of line defect PhC waveguides within a missing row of PhC rods were accompanied by optical testing structures of suitable coupling modes. Optical measurements of waveguiding coefficients were therefore enabled for the different configurations, together with further static and dynamic modulations. PACS 42.70.Qs     

可调谐集成光学Ti:LiNbO3光波导定向耦合滤波器

波分复用技术是当今光纤通信系统中的关键技术之一。具有增加光纤通信系统容量的巨大潜力,集成光学复用技术对于单模光纤通信系统特别重要本文给出了一种集成光学复用器件的设计和制作,这种集成光学滤波器是在之切LiNbO₃衬底上用非对称钛扩散条波导定向耦合器构成,它适于1.32μm和1.55μm波长耦合滤波。为了使单模光纤和条波导有效耦合,我们研制出了硅V型槽,并给出了一种光纤与波导的连接结构。提供了一种切实可行的途径。     

Photosensitive Materials for Integrated Optic Applications

This article presents results of device fabrication using UV processing of materials and integrated optic components produced by flame hydrolysis deposition and hybrid sol-gel technology. Photosensitive materials were employed in the fabrication of channel waveguides and channel photo-imprinted waveguides incorporating Bragg gratings through single and double-step exposure.     

Athermal waveguides for optical communication wavelengths

We report on the design, fabrication, and characterization of temperature insensitive strip silicon-on-insulator racetrack resonators. The influence of various parameters, such as waveguide width, waveguide height, ring radius, coupling length, ring gap, and operating wavelength, on temperature-dependent wavelength shift is examined. A resonant wavelength shift of 0.2 pm/K at a 1550 nm wavelength is measured for 335 nm × 220 nm waveguides. A significant reduction of waveguide propagation losses, improved ring Q value, and higher extinction ratio are obtained after overlaying the silicon waveguides with a polymer cladding.     

Second-order optical non-linearity of proton exchanged lithium tantalate waveguides

A detailed correlation between the fabrication conditions, crystallographic phase state of H_xLi_1-xTaO₃ waveguides and second-order optical non-linearity has been investigated by using reflected SHG measurements from the polished waveguide end face. The non-linearity, strongly reduced after the initial proton exchange, is found to be restored and even increased after annealing. However, this apparent increase in the non-linearity is accompanied by a strong degradation of the quality of the SHG reflected beam in the region of the initial as-exchanged waveguide due to beam scattering. The high temperature proton exchange technique has been shown to produce high-quality α-phase waveguides with essentially undegraded non-linear optical properties. There is no phase transition when the α-phase waveguides are fabricated by direct exchange. This phase presents the same crystalline structure as that of LiTaO₃ and maintains the excellent non-linear properties of the bulk material. The results obtained are important for the design, fabrication and optimization of guided-wave non-linear optical devices in LiTaO₃. Received: 21 May 2001 / Published online: 23 October 2001     

Fabrication of multimode interference waveguides in glass by use of a femtosecond laser

We report on the fabrication of multimode interference (MMI) waveguides that split single-mode light into multimode light in synthesized silica by use of femtosecond laser pulses. The number of modes at the output facet is dependent on both the width and the length of the MMI waveguides. The output spectral responses of the MMI waveguides in the visible region were examined. The fabricated MMI waveguides can be used as compact power splitters with large fan-outs.     

Solgel grating waveguides for distributed Bragg reflector lasers

Solgel grating waveguides and their application to the fabrication of external-cavity distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers are demonstrated. A new composition of aluminosilicate material is developed for the fabrication of single-mode waveguides and Bragg reflectors. An average loss of <0.2 dB/cm is measured in the single-mode waveguides at 1550 nm. The reflectors show filtering greater than 97% near 1530 nm, with a bandwidth of ~0.6 nm . The Bragg reflectors are used as feedback resonators for DBR lasers. Single-mode lasing with a sidemode suppression of better than 25 dB is demonstrated.     

Photosensitive Materials for Integrated Optic Applications

Abstract

This article presents results of device fabrication using UV processing of materials and integrated optic components produced by flame hydrolysis deposition and hybrid sol-gel technology. Photosensitive materials were employed in the fabrication of channel waveguides and channel photo-imprinted waveguides incorporating Bragg gratings through single and double-step exposure.     

Ultracompact directional couplers realized in InP by utilizing feature size dependent etching

We present the design, fabrication, and measurement of an ultracompact directional coupler in InP/InGaAsP/InP. By utilizing the lag effect in the dry etching process, in one etch step, deeply etched asymmetric waveguides with a shallow groove in between are fabricated. This special property enhances the coupling efficiency for the directional coupler and thus makes the device ultracompact. We demonstrate directional couplers as short as 55 microm, which is only 1/30th the length of the conventional design.     

质子交换Y分支光波导弯曲损耗研究

对采用退火质子交换技术(APE)制备的具有正弦型弯曲和余弦型弯曲两种不同的S型弯曲的Y分支光波导,利用宽角有限差分光束传播法,就过渡区长度、波导表面折射率增量、掩模版开口宽度等对波导弯曲损耗的影响进行了研究。结果表明,两种S弯曲下的Y分支波导的弯曲损耗,随波导结构参数的变化基本上是相同的,但二者的表现并不完全一致。数值计算结果为相应波导器件的设计和制备提供了一定的参考。     

Femtosecond laser microstructuring: an enabling tool for optofluidic lab‐on‐chips

This paper provides an overview of the rather new field concerning the applications of femtosecond laser microstructuring of glass to optofluidics. Femtosecond lasers have recently emerged as a powerful microfabrication tool due to their unique characteristics. On the one hand, they enable to induce a permanent refractive index increase, in a micrometer‐sized volume of the material, allowing single‐step, three‐dimensional fabrication of optical waveguides. On the other hand, femtosecond‐laser irradiation of fused silica followed by chemical etching enables the manufacturing of directly buried microfluidic channels. This opens the intriguing possibility of using a single laser system for the fabrication and three‐dimensional integration of optofluidic devices. This paper will review the state of the art of femtosecond laser fabrication of optical waveguides and microfluidic channels, as well as their integration for high sensitivity detection of biomolecules and for cell manipulation.     

Ultra‐low loss waveguide platform and its integration with silicon photonics

Planar waveguides with ultra‐low optical propagation loss enable a plethora of passive photonic integrated circuits, such as splitters and combiners, filters, delay lines, and components for advanced modulation formats. An overview is presented of the status of the field of ultra‐low loss waveguides and circuits, including the design, the trade‐off between bend radius and loss, and fabrication rationale. The characterization methods to accurately measure such waveguides are discussed. Some typical examples of device and circuit applications are presented. An even wider range of applications becomes possible with the integration of active devices, such as lasers, amplifiers, modulators and photodetectors, on such an ultra‐low loss waveguide platform. A summary of efforts to integrate silicon nitride and silica‐based low‐loss waveguides with silicon and III/V based photonics, either hybridly or heterogeneously, will be presented. The approach to combine these integration technologies heterogeneously on a single silicon substrate is discussed and an application example of a high‐bandwidth receiver is shown.     

Manufacturing of Nd:Gd3Ga5O12 ridge waveguide lasers by pulsed laser deposition and ultrafast laser micromachining

Laser radiation is used both for the deposition of the laser active thin films and for the micro structuring to define wave guiding structures for the fabrication of waveguide lasers. Thin films of crystalline and amorphous neodymium doped Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂ are grown on single crystal yttrium aluminium garnet by pulsed laser deposition using excimer laser radiation.Manufacturing of the laser active waveguides by micro structuring is done using femtosecond laser ablation of the deposited films. The structural and optical properties of the films and the morphology of the structured waveguides are determined in view of the design and the fabrication of compact and efficient diode pumped waveguide lasers. The resulting waveguides are polished, provided with resonator mirrors, pumped using diode lasers and the waveguide lasers are characterized. The spectroscopic properties of the amorphous waveguide are investigated and an infrared waveguide laser is demonstrated. To our knowledge, there have been no reports by other groups of the successful operation of a structured waveguide laser fabricated by this technique or of a waveguide laser made from amorphous neodymium doped Gd₃Ga₅O₁₂.