Scattering of a plasmonic nanoantenna embedded in a silicon waveguide

Plasmonic antennas integrated on silicon devices have large and yet unexplored potential for controlling and routing light signals. Here, we present theoretical calculations of a hybrid silicon-metallic system in which a single gold nanoantenna embedded in a single-mode silicon waveguide acts as a resonance-driven filter. As a consequence of scattering and interference, when the resonance condition of the antenna is met, the transmission drops by 85% in the resonant frequency band. Firstly, we study analytically the interaction between the propagating mode and the antenna by including radiative corrections to the scattering process and the polarization of the waveguide walls. Secondly, we find the configuration of maximum interaction and numerically simulate a realistic nanoantenna in a silicon waveguide. The numerical calculations show a large suppression of transmission and three times more scattering than absorption, consequent with the analytical model. The system we propose can be easily fabricated by standard silicon and plasmonic lithographic methods, making it promising as real component in future optoelectronic circuits.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Hot-wire chemical vapour deposition for silicon nitride waveguides

In this work, we demonstrate the use of HWCVD as an alternative technique to grow SiN layers for photonic waveguides at temperatures <400ºC. In particular, the effect of the ammonia flow and the filament temperature on the material structure, optical properties and propagation losses of the deposited films was investigated. SiN layers with good thickness uniformity, roughness as low as 0.61nm and H concentration as low as 10.4×1021 atoms/cm3 were obtained. Waveguides fabricated on the studied materials exhibited losses as low as 7.1 and 12.3 dB/cm at 1310 and 1550nm respectively

Localised tuneable composition single crystal silicon-germanium-on-insulator for low cost devices

The realisation of high quality silicon-germanium-on-insulator (SGOI) is a major goal for the field of silicon photonics because it has the potential to enable extremely low power active devices functioning at the communication wavelengths of 1.3 µm and 1.55 µm. In addition, SGOI has the potential to form faster electronic devices such as BiCMOS transistors, and could also form the backbone of a new silicon photonics platform that extends into the mid-IR wavelengths for applications in, amongst others, sensing and telecoms. In this paper, we present a novel method of forming single crystal, defect free SGOI using a rapid melt growth technique. We use tailored structures to form localised uniform composition SGOI strips, which are suitable for state of the art device fabrication. This technique could pave the way for the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices using only a single, low cost Ge deposition step

Recent breakthroughs in carrier depletion based silicon optical modulators

The majority of the most successful optical modulators in silicon demonstrated in recent years operate via the plasma dispersion effect and are more specifically based upon free carrier depletion in a silicon rib waveguide. In this work we overview the different types of free carrier depletion type optical modulators in silicon. A summary of some recent example devices for each configuration is then presented together with the performance that they have achieved. Finally an insight into some current research trends involving silicon based optical modulators is provided including integration, operation in the mid-infrared wavelength range and application in short and long haul data transmission link

Analytical model for calculating the nonlinear distortion in silicon-based electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulators

[EN] In this study, an analytical model for calculating the nonlinear harmonic/intermodulation distortion for RF signals in silicon-based electro-optic modulators is investigated by considering the nonlinearity on the effective index change curve with the operation point and the device structure simultaneously. Distortion expressions are obtained and theoretical results are presented showing that optimal modulator parameters can be found to linearize it. Moreover, the harmonic distortion of a 1 mm silicon-based asymmetric MZI is RF characterized and used to corroborate the theoretical results. Based on the present model, the nonlinear distortion in terms of bias voltage or operating wavelength is calculated and validated by comparing with the experimental data, showing a good agreement between measurements and theory. Analog photonic link quality parameter like carrier-todistortion is one of the parameters that can be found with that model. Finally, the modulation depth is measured to assure that no over-modulation is produced.This work was supported by the funding from the European Commission under project HELIOS (pHotonics Electronics functional Integration on CMOS), FP7-224312. The work of P. Sanchis and J.-M. Fedeli was supported by the funding funding from TEC2012-38540 LEOMIS, TEC2008-06333 SINADEC, and PROMETEO-2010-087. The work of F. Y. Gardes, D. J. Thomson and G. T. Reed was supported by funding received from the UK EPSRC funding body under the grant "UK Silicon Photonics."Gutiérrez Campo, AM.; Brimont, ACJ.; Herrera Llorente, J.; Aamer, M.; Thomson, DJ.; Gardes, FY.; Reed, GT.... (2013). Analytical model for calculating the nonlinear distortion in silicon-based electro-optic Mach-Zehnder modulators. Journal of Lightwave Technology. 31(23):3603-3612. https://doi.org/10.1109/JLT.2013.2286838S36033612312