High-Q germanium optical nanocavity

Abstract

Mid-infrared (MIR) integrated photonics has attracted broad interest due to its promising applications in biochemical sensing, environmental monitoring, disease diagnosis, and optical communication. Among MIR integration platforms, germanium-based platforms hold many excellent properties, such as wide transparency windows, high refractive indices, and high nonlinear coefficients; however, the development of MIR germanium photonic devices is still in its infancy. Specifically, MIR high-Q germanium resonators with comparable performance to their silicon counterparts remain unprecedented. Here we experimentally demonstrate an MIR germanium nanocavity with a Q factor of ∼18,000, the highest-to-date of reported nanocavities across MIR germanium-based integration platforms. This is achieved through a combination of a feasible theoretical design, Smart-Cut methods for wafer development, and optimized device fabrication processes. Our nanocavity, with its high Q factor and ultrasmall mode volume, opens new avenues for on-chip applications in the MIR spectral range.