Enhancement of bulk second-harmonic generation from silicon nitride films by material composition.

We present a comprehensive tensorial characterization of second-harmonic generation from silicon nitride films with varying compositions. The samples were fabricated using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and the material composition was varied by the reactive gas mixture in the process. We found a six-fold enhancement between the lowest and highest second-order susceptibility, with the highest value of approximately 5 pm/V from the most silicon-rich sample. Moreover, the optical losses were found to be sufficiently small (below 6 dB/cm) for applications. The tensorial results show that all samples retain in-plane isotropy independent of the silicon content, highlighting the controllability of the fabrication process.

Flip-chip assembly of VCSELs to silicon grating couplers via laser fabricated SU8 prisms.

This article presents the flip-chip bonding of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) to silicon grating couplers (GCs) via SU8 prisms. The SU8 prisms are defined on top of the GCs using non-uniform laser ablation process. The prisms enable perfectly vertical coupling from the bonded VCSELs to the GCs. The VCSELs are flip-chip bonded on top of the silicon GCs employing the laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT)-assisted thermocompression technique. An excess loss of < 1 dB at 1.55 µm measured from the bonded assemblies is reported in this paper. The results of high speed transmission experiments performed on the bonded assemblies with clear eye openings up to 20 Gb/s are also presented.

Heterogeneously integrated III-V-on-silicon multibandgap superluminescent light-emitting diode with 290 nm optical bandwidth.

A broadband superluminescent III-V-on-silicon light-emitting diode (LED) was realized. To achieve the large bandwidth, quantum well intermixing and multiple die bonding of InP on a silicon photonic waveguide circuit were combined for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The device consists of four sections with different bandgaps, centered around 1300, 1380, 1460, and 1540 nm. The fabricated LEDs were connected on-chip in a serial way, where the light generated in the smaller bandgap sections travels through the larger bandgap sections. By balancing the pump current in the four LEDs, we achieved 292 nm of 3 dB bandwidth and an on-chip power of -8 dBm.

Glucose sensing by waveguide-based absorption spectroscopy on a silicon chip.

In this work, we demonstrate in vitro detection of glucose by means of a lab-on-chip absorption spectroscopy approach. This optical method allows label-free and specific detection of glucose. We show glucose detection in aqueous glucose solutions in the clinically relevant concentration range with a silicon-based optofluidic chip. The sample interface is a spiral-shaped rib waveguide integrated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) photonic chip. This SOI chip is combined with micro-fluidics in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). We apply aqueous glucose solutions with different concentrations and monitor continuously how the transmission spectrum changes due to glucose. Based on these measurements, we derived a linear regression model, to relate the measured glucose spectra with concentration with an error-of-fitting of only 1.14 mM. This paper explains the challenges involved and discusses the optimal configuration for on-chip evanescent absorption spectroscopy. In addition, the prospects for using this sensor for glucose detection in complex physiological media (e.g. serum) is briefly discussed.

Generation of 3.6 µm radiation and telecom-band amplification by four-wave mixing in a silicon waveguide with normal group velocity dispersion.

Mid-infrared light generation through four-wave mixing-based frequency down-conversion in a normal group velocity dispersion silicon waveguide is demonstrated. A telecom-wavelength signal is down-converted across more than 1.2 octaves using a pump at 2190 nm in a 1 cm-long waveguide. At the same time, a 13 dB on-chip parametric gain of the telecom signal is obtained.

Silicon-on-insulator spectrometers with integrated GaInAsSb photodiodes for wide-band spectroscopy from 1510 to 2300 nm.

We present a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based spectrometer platform for a wide operational wavelength range. Both planar concave grating (PCG, also known as echelle grating) and arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) spectrometer designs are explored for operation in the short-wave infrared. In addition, a total of four planar concave gratings are designed to cover parts of the wavelength range from 1510 to 2300 nm. These passive wavelength demultiplexers are combined with GaInAsSb photodiodes. These photodiodes are heterogeneously integrated on SOI with benzocyclobutene (DVS-BCB) as an adhesive bonding layer. The uniformity of the photodiode characteristics and high processing yield, indicate a robust fabrication process. We demonstrate good performance of the miniature spectrometers over all operational wavelengths which paves the way to on-chip absorption spectroscopy in this wavelength range.

Reflectionless grating couplers for Silicon-on-Insulator photonic integrated circuits.

We propose a novel grating coupler design which is inherently reflectionless by focusing the reflected light away from the entrance waveguide. The design rules for this reflectionless grating coupler are explained and the grating coupler design is investigated by means of 3D FDTD simulations for the case of a Silicon-on-Insulator based platform.

Ce:YIG/Silicon-on-Insulator waveguide optical isolator realized by adhesive bonding.

A waveguide optical isolator realized by adhesive bonding of a garnet die, containing a Ce:YIG magneto-optic layer, on a silicon-on-insulator waveguide circuit is demonstrated. The die was bonded on top of an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer using a 100nm thick DVS-BCB adhesive bonding layer. A static magnetic field applied perpendicular to the light propagation direction results in a non-reciprocal phase shift for the fundamental quasi-TM mode in the hybrid waveguide geometry. A maximum optical isolation of 25 dB is obtained.

Parametric instability of an integrated micromechanical oscillator by means of active optomechanical feedback.

Mass sensing and time keeping applications require high frequency integrated micromechanical oscillators. To overcome the increasing mechanical stiffness of these structures sensitive optical vibration detection and efficient actuation is required. Therefore we have implemented an active feedback system, where the feedback signal is provided by the optical gradient force that is present between nanophotonic waveguides on a silicon-on-insulator chip. We found that access to the parametric instability regime can be easily controlled by tuning the wavelength.

42.7 Gbit/s electro-optic modulator in silicon technology.

CMOS-compatible optical modulators are key components for future silicon-based photonic transceivers. However, achieving low modulation voltage and high speed operation still remains a challenge. As a possible solution, the silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) platform has been proposed. In the SOH approach the optical signal is guided by a silicon waveguide while the electro-optic effect is provided by an organic cladding with a high χ(2)-nonlinearity. In these modulators the optical nonlinear region needs to be connected to the modulating electrical source. This requires electrodes, which are both optically transparent and electrically highly conductive. To this end we introduce a highly conductive electron accumulation layer which is induced by an external DC "gate" voltage. As opposed to doping, the electron mobility is not impaired by impurity scattering. This way we demonstrate for the first time data encoding with an SOH electro-optic modulator. Using a first-generation device at a data-rate of 42.7 Gbit/s, widely open eye diagrams were recorded. The measured frequency response suggests that significantly larger data rates are feasible.

Nonlinear properties of and nonlinear processing in hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguides.

We propose hydrogenated amorphous silicon nanowires as a platform for nonlinear optics in the telecommunication wavelength range. Extraction of the nonlinear parameter of these photonic nanowires reveals a figure of merit larger than 2. It is observed that the nonlinear optical properties of these waveguides degrade with time, but that this degradation can be reversed by annealing the samples. A four wave mixing conversion efficiency of + 12 dB is demonstrated in a 320 Gbit/s serial optical waveform data sampling experiment in a 4 mm long photonic nanowire.

Generation of correlated photons in hydrogenated amorphous-silicon waveguides.

We report the first (to our knowledge) observation of correlated photon emission in hydrogenated amorphous-silicon waveguides. We compare this to photon generation in crystalline silicon waveguides with the same geometry. In particular, we show that amorphous silicon has a higher nonlinearity and competes with crystalline silicon in spite of higher loss.

Bridging the gap between nanophotonic waveguide circuits and single mode optical fibers using diffractive grating structures.

In this paper, the use of diffractive grating structures to efficiently interface between a single mode fiber and a high index contrast waveguide circuit is outlined. We show that high index contrast grating structures allow for broadband and high efficiency coupling. Since no polished facet is required on the photonic integrated circuit to interface with the optical fiber, fiber-to-chip grating couplers enable wafer-scale testing, reducing the cost for testing large scale integrated optical circuits. We show that two-dimensional grating structures can solve the problem of the huge polarization dependence of high index contrast photonic integrated circuits. Finally, an optical probe is presented, which allows testing individual components of a photonic integrated circuit, analogous to the electrical probes used in micro-electronics.

Continuous wave photon pair generation in silicon-on-insulator waveguides and ring resonators.

Silicon waveguides are promising chi(3)-based photon pair sources. Demonstrations so far have been based on picosecond pulsed lasers. Here, we present the first investigation of photon pair generation in silicon waveguides in a continuous regime. The source is characterized by coincidence measurements. We uncover the presence of unexpected noise which had not been noticed in earlier experiments. Subsequently, we present advances towards integration of the photon pair source with other components on the chip. This is demonstrated by photon pair generation in a Sagnac loop interferometer and inside a micro-ring cavity. Comparison with the straight waveguide shows that these are promising avenues for improving the source. In particular photon pair generation in the micro-ring cavity yields a source with a spectral width of approximately 150 pm resulting in a spectral brightness increased by more than 2 orders of magnitude.

Trimming of silicon ring resonator by electron beam induced compaction and strain.

Silicon is becoming the preferable platform for future integrated components, mostly due to the mature and reliable fabrication capabilities of electronics industry. Nevertheless, even the most advanced fabrication technologies suffer from non-uniformity on wafer scale and on chip scale, causing variations in the critical dimensions of fabricated components. This is an important issue since photonic circuits, and especially cavities such as ring resonators, are extremely sensitive to these variations. In this paper we present a way to circumvent these problems by trimming using electron beam induced compaction of oxide in silicon on insulator. Volume compaction of the oxide cladding causes both changes in the refractive index and creates strain in the silicon lattice. We demonstrate a resonance wavelength red shift 4.91 nm in a silicon ring resonator.

All-Optical flip-flop operation using a SOA and DFB laser diode optical feedback combination.

We report on the switching of an all-optical flip-flop consisting of a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and a distributed feedback laser diode (DFB), bidirectionally coupled to each other. Both simulation and experimental results are presented. Switching times as low as 50ps, minimal required switch pulse energies below 1pJ and a repetition rate of 1.25GHz have been measured. Contrast ratios over 25dB have been obtained. The dependence on the pulse length and CW input power of the minimal required switch energy is investigated.

Electrically pumped InP-based microdisk lasers integrated with a nanophotonic silicon-on-insulator waveguide circuit.

A compact, electrically driven light source integrated on silicon is a key component for large-scale integration of electronic and photonic integrated circuits. Here we demonstrate electrically injected continuous-wave lasing in InP-based microdisk lasers coupled to a sub-micron silicon wire waveguide, fabricated through heterogeneous integration of InP on silicon-on-insulator (SOI). The InP-based microdisk has a diameter of 7.5 mum and a thickness of 1 mum. A tunnel junction was incorporated to efficiently contact the p-side of the pn-junction. The laser emits at 1.6 mum, with a threshold current as low as 0.5 mA under continuous-wave operation at room temperature, and a threshold voltage of 1.65 V. The SOI-coupled laser slope efficiency was estimated to be 30 muW/mA, with a maximum unidirectional output power of 10 muW.

Compact wavelength router based on a Silicon-on-insulator arrayed waveguide grating pigtailed to a fiber array.

We demonstrate a compact, fiber-pigtailed, 4-by-4 wavelength router in Silicon-on-insulator photonic wires, fabricated using CMOS processing methods. The core is an AWG with a 250GHz channel spacing and 1THz free spectral range, on a 425x155 microm(2) footprint. The insertion loss of the AWG was reduced to 3.5dB by applying a two-step processing technique. The crosstalk is -12dB. The device was pigtailed using vertical fiber couplers and an eight-fiber array connector.

Heterogeneous integration of electrically driven microdisk based laser sources for optical interconnects and photonic ICs.

A new approach for an electrically driven microlaser based on a microdisk transferred onto Silicon is proposed. The structure is based on a quaternary InGaAsP p-i-n junction including three InAsP quantum wells, on a thin membrane transferred onto silicon by molecular bonding. A p++/n++ tunnel junction is used as the p-type contact. The technological procedure is described and first experimental results show a laser emission in pulsed regime at room temperature, with a threshold current near 1.5 mA.

Laser emission and photodetection in an InP/InGaAsP layer integrated on and coupled to a Silicon-on-Insulator waveguide circuit.

Laser emission from an InP/InGaAsP thin film epitaxial layer bonded to a Silicon-on-Insulator waveguide circuit was observed. Adhesive bonding using divinyl-tetramethyldisiloxane-benzocyclobutene (DVS-BCB) was used to integrate the InP/InGaAsP epitaxial layers onto the waveguide circuit. Light is coupled from the laser diode into an underlying waveguide using an adiabatic inverted taper approach. 0.9mW optical power was coupled into the SOI waveguide using a 500mum long laser. Besides for use as a laser diode, the same type of devices can be used as a photodetector. 50mum long devices obtained a responsivity of 0.23A/W.