Trench isolated rib waveguides on silicon-on-insulator

Adrienne E. Turnbull; Philip D. Waldron; Marie-Josee Picard; N. Garry Tarr; Paul E. Jessop

doi:10.1117/12.567446

20 December 2004 Trench isolated rib waveguides on silicon-on-insulator

Adrienne E. Turnbull, Philip D. Waldron, Marie-Josee Picard, N. Garry Tarr, Paul E. Jessop

Proceedings Volume 5577, Photonics North 2004: Optical Components and Devices; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.567446
Event: Photonics North, 2004, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

The current trend towards integrating CMOS circuitry and photonic devices on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers into monolithic optoelectronic circuits requires modification of the traditional rib waveguide to provide a planar surface. One possible modification involves creating a trench on either side of the rib and then filling this trench with a planarizing oxide. The resulting planar surface is much more compatible with the photolithographic systems required to print the small dimensions found in state-of-the-art CMOS. We report the fabrication of prototype trench-isolated waveguides, measurement of optical performance and comparison with simulation. 2.5 μm thick Si film was utilized with 0.5 μm deep trenches ranging from 1 to several microns in width. Rib widths ranged from 2 μm to 3 μm (the maximum value providing single mode propagation). Allowed modes were determined with FEMLAB, while beam propagation was studied using Optiwave BPM. Simulation indicated mode confinement would be lost for trench widths less than 1.5 μm. The narrowest trench width which could be fabricated was 2.0 μm, and qualitative optical testing shows good mode confinement to the central rib for a trench geometry greater than 3.0 μm.

Citation Download Citation

Adrienne E. Turnbull, Philip D. Waldron, Marie-Josee Picard, N. Garry Tarr, and Paul E. Jessop "Trench isolated rib waveguides on silicon-on-insulator", Proc. SPIE 5577, Photonics North 2004: Optical Components and Devices, (20 December 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.567446

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