Enhanced Nonlinearity and Engineered Anomalous Dispersion in TeO₂-coated Si₃N₄ Waveguides

Abstract

We propose designs of silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4) waveguides with enhanced nonlinear parameter and engineered anomalous group velocity dispersion (GVD) by addition of tellurium oxide (TeO 2) top-coating layers of various thicknesses. The proposed waveguides have calculated nonlinear parameters of up to three times that of stoichiometric Si 3 N 4 and exhibit anomalous GVD at near infrared wavelengths. The GVD of such waveguides can be tuned between the normal and anomalous regime with different zero dispersion wavelengths by adjusting the thickness of TeO 2 coating. These designs offer promise of higher performance nonlinear devices on a standard low-loss Si 3 N 4 platform with the possibility of integration of active functionalities owing to higher solubility of rare earth dopants in tellurium oxide.

Tellurite glass microcavity resonators integrated on a silicon photonics platform

“…Tellurite glass's large refractive index (2.08 at 1550 nm) and demonstrated low optical propagation losses 35,36 make it a suitable candidate for fabricating high Q resonators compatible with a silicon photonics platform. Additionally, tellurite glass has a large nonlinear coefficient, 37,38 large Raman gain, 39 and has been used as a host for erbium- [40][41][42] and thulium 43 -doped waveguide amplifiers and lasers. We have previously shown applications of this platform toward thermal and evanescent waveguide sensor devices.…”