Silicon-on-sapphire integrated waveguides for the mid-infrared

Baehr‐Jones, Tom; Spott, Alexander; Ilic, Rob; Spott, Andrew; Penkov, Boyan; Asher, William E.; Hochberg, Michael

doi:10.1364/oe.18.012127

Cited by 225 publications

(128 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Available silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) wafers, originally developed for microelectronic applications, led to the demonstration of first Si-based mid-IR waveguides [192][193][194]. Low-loss waveguides and grating couplers on SOS were later demonstrated [195].…”

Section: Mid-infrared Integrated Photonic Platformsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging heterogeneous integrated photonic platforms on silicon

Fathpour

2015

Nanophotonics

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Silicon photonics has been established as a mature and promising technology for optoelectronic integrated circuits, mostly based on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguide platform. However, not all optical functionalities can be satisfactorily achieved merely based on silicon, in general, and on the SOI platform, in particular. Long-known shortcomings of silicon-based integrated photonics are optical absorption (in the telecommunication wavelengths) and feasibility of electrically-injected lasers (at least at room temperature). More recently, high two-photon and free-carrier absorptions required at high optical intensities for third-order optical nonlinear effects, inherent lack of second-order optical nonlinearity, low extinction ratio of modulators based on the freecarrier plasma effect, and the loss of the buried oxide layer of the SOI waveguides at mid-infrared wavelengths have been recognized as other shortcomings. Accordingly, several novel waveguide platforms have been developing to address these shortcomings of the SOI platform. Most of these emerging platforms are based on heterogeneous integration of other material systems on silicon substrates, and in some cases silicon is integrated on other substrates. Germanium and its binary alloys with silicon, III-V compound semiconductors, silicon nitride, tantalum pentoxide and other high-index dielectric or glass materials, as well as lithium niobate are some of the materials heterogeneously integrated on silicon substrates. The materials are typically integrated by a variety of epitaxial growth, bonding, ion implantation and slicing, etch back, spin-on-glass or other techniques. These wide range of efforts are reviewed here holistically to stress that there is no pure silicon or even group IV photonics per se. Rather, the future of the field of integrated photonics appears to be one of heterogenization, where a variety of different materials and waveguide platforms will be used for different purposes with the common feature of integrating them on a single substrate, most notably silicon.

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Section: Mid-infrared Integrated Photonic Platformsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging heterogeneous integrated photonic platforms on silicon

Fathpour

2015

Nanophotonics

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“…Therefore alternative silicon-based waveguide platforms need to be considered for operation beyond 4-μm wavelength. Several options are being explored, including freestanding silicon [13], [14] and air-clad silicon pedestal structures [15], [16] (which however limits the type of components that can be implemented since it is for example very difficul to make the free propagation region of a planar concave grating free-standing/on a pedestal), silicon-on-sapphire [17]- [21], silicon-on-siliconnitride (which involves wafer bonding) [22] and SiN waveguide circuits [23]. The waveguide platform that we have adopted is germanium-on-silicon [24], since the epitaxial growth of germanium on a silicon wafer is well mastered and the processing of the germanium waveguide layer can be done in a CMOS fab.…”

Section: Silicon-based Passive Waveguide Circuits For the Mid-infmentioning

confidence: 99%

Silicon-Based Photonic Integration Beyond the Telecommunication Wavelength Range

Roelkens

Dave

Gassenq

et al. 2014

IEEE J. Select. Topics Quantum Electron.

114

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Abstract-In this paper we discuss silicon-based photonic integrated circuit technology for applications beyond the telecommunication wavelength range. Silicon-on-insulator and germaniumon-silicon passive waveguide circuits are described, as well as the integration of III-V semiconductors, IV-VI colloidal nanoparticles and GeSn alloys on these circuits for increasing the functionality. The strong nonlinearity of silicon combined with the low nonlinear absorption in the mid-infrared is exploited to generate picosecond pulse based supercontinuum sources, optical parametric oscillators and wavelength translators connecting the telecommunication wavelength range and the mid-infrared.

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“…Soref et al [72] preformed a theoretical study of various types of optical waveguides for longer wavelength transmission in 2006. Silicon-on-sapphire grating couplers [73] and waveguides [74] have since been experimentally demonstrated at mid-infrared wavelengths. A silicon cascaded Raman laser was demonstrated by Rong et al [75], who developed an interesting approach with the potential for use in the fabrication of roomtemperature lasers at mid-infrared wavelengths.…”

Section: Future Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Device engineering for silicon photonics

Chen

Tsang

2011

NPG Asia Mater

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A fter an impressive initial spurt of progress in device engineering during the early 2000s when the optical communications industry saw unprecedented levels of investment, silicon photonics continues to develop at an amazing pace. Many novel applications and devices are emerging. Silicon photonics has the potential to become a major platform for optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs) and to be used in high-speed optical interconnects for chip-level data communications because of the extremely large bandwidth and high speed off ered by optical communications. Many challenges have been addressed through the introduction of innovative ideas, paving the way for the practical deployment of silicon-based optoelectronic devices and integrated photonic circuits in computing and telecommunication systems [1]. Th e commercialization of silicon photonics, originally driven by applications in telecommunications, is now also driven by the needs of the computing industry for highspeed, energy-effi cient optical cable technology, such as the Light Peak Technology under development by Intel (USA). Th e California-based company Luxtera (USA) has also commercialized a series of siliconphotonic transceiver systems.Silicon off ers many advantages over alternative material systems (e.g. InP, GaAs, LiNbO 3 ) for OEIC applications. One major reason for the wide interest that silicon photonics is attracting is the cost advantage that silicon photonics can potentially off er through its compatibility with the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication processes used in the microelectronics industry. Th e huge investments that have been made in CMOS microelectronics fabrication technologies has resulted in processes that off er much higher yield than is possible using alternative materials for photonics, thus making feasible large-scale integration and the production of silicon-photonic devices that are monolithically integrated with not only optical components but also electronic circuits in the same platform at ultrahigh density. Another reason for the attractiveness of silicon photonics is the high refractive index contrast between the silicon core (refractive index, 3.48) and silicon dioxide cladding (refractive index, 1.45) in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) devices, which ensures the submicrometer confi nement of light and allows tight bending in optical waveguides. Th e high-density integration of photonic circuits on SOI platforms is thus feasible. Th e low cost of high-quality SOI wafers is another advantage of silicon photonics. All kinds of low-cost devices enabled by silicon photonics are therefore predicted, and these may also enjoy the other benefi ts of monolithic integration: smaller size, increased power effi ciency and improved reliability. Figure 1 shows an example of a high-density integrated photonics devices fabricated on a 6-inch SOI wafer using CMOS-compatible technology.In this article, we review some of the exciting progress that has been made in silicon photonics with the aim of providing a broa...

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Silicon-on-sapphire integrated waveguides for the mid-infrared

Cited by 225 publications

References 22 publications

Emerging heterogeneous integrated photonic platforms on silicon

Emerging heterogeneous integrated photonic platforms on silicon

Silicon-Based Photonic Integration Beyond the Telecommunication Wavelength Range

Device engineering for silicon photonics

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