Horizontal single and multiple slot waveguides: optical transmission at λ = 1550 nm

TLDR

Waveguide loss is mainly due to absorption in amorphous silicon. We experimentally demonstrate 1550‑nm transmission of quasi‑TM slot modes in horizontal single and multiple slot waveguides and ring resonators fabricated from amorphous silicon and silicon dioxide. Horizontal multiple slot waveguides exhibit enhanced optical confinement, low propagation loss of 6–7 dB/cm, and negligible additional scattering loss compared to single slot structures.

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate the optical transmission at 1550 nm of the fundamental slot modes (quasi-TM modes) in horizontal single and multiple slot waveguides and ring resonators consisting of deposited amorphous silicon and silicon dioxide. We demonstrate that the horizontal multiple slot configuration provides enhanced optical confinement in low index slot regions compared to a horizontal single slot structure with the same total SiO2 layer thickness by comparing their thermo-optic coefficients for the horizontal slot ring resonators. We show in these early structures that horizontal slot waveguides have low propagation loss of 6 approximately 7 dB/cm. The waveguide loss is mainly due to a-Si material absorption. The addition of a-Si/SiO(2) interfaces does not introduce significant scattering loss in a horizontal multiple slot waveguide compared to a horizontal single slot waveguide.