•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics

–Outline

Silicon integrated optics

http://photonics.intec.ugent.be/download/ocs75.pdf

• SOI wafers
• Si “wire” & ridge waveguides
– SM condition
– Mode structures

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 126

•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Intro

Condensed view of
fabrication process
Original silicon on insulator
wafer.

Apply bottom anti-reflection coating

(BARC) and resist.

Photopatterning and solvent-wash of

resist.

Selective etching of resist, removal

of resist.

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado http://photonics.intec.ugent.be/download/pub_2397.pdf 127

•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Rib waveguides

Rib waveguides
EIM analysis - setup
Step 1: Find effective index of slabs of height H and height h. Rather
than solve the transcendental equation, let’s use an approximate
expression (Pogossian, Opt & Quant Elec 25, 1993)

For example, in Region II

2
 π 
Nm ≈ n f − 
2 2  (m + 1)2 heff ≡ h + q
k h 
 0 eff 
[ (
q ≡ γ c k0 n 2f − nc2 )
12
]+ γ [k (n
s 0
2
f − ns2 )
12
]
γ c, s = 1 for TE, (nc , s n f )2 for TM
q TE = 0.936 µm q TM = 0.0845 µm
Pogossian, JLT 16, Oct 1998
For silicon, silicon dioxide and air at 1.55 microns.
Note that polarization term is inverse to my definition
Symmetric Si, SiO2 slab comparison
2a = 1µm, λ0 = 1.55 µm, nco = 3.4788, ncl = 1.45

Conclusion: Accurate for low-order modes.

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 128
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Rib waveguides

Rib waveguides
Single mode condition, vertical
Step 2: Consider the possibility the first vertical mode beyond the
fundamental in the rib section.

Is this mode bound? In other

words, what is the proper
effective slab in the horizontal
direction?

Consider the fundamental vertical mode in the region beyond the rib. Note
that it has good overlap with the lower lobe of the m=1 rib mode. Thus the
rib mode will couple strongly to the exterior mode. To be bound, the
effective index of the m=1 rib mode must be > the effective index of the
m=0 exterior mode. SM condition for vertical modes in rib is thus:

N12 (in rib ) < N 02 (in exterior )

2 2
 π   
nf − 
2  (1 + 1)2 < n 2f −  π  (0 + 1)2
k H  k h 
 0 eff   0 eff 
heff 1
r≡ > (Pogossian, JLT 16, Oct 1998)
H eff 2
h 1
Note that the classical condition is r ≡ > (Soref, IEEE JQE 27, Aug 1991)
H 2
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 129
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Rib waveguides

Rib waveguides
Single mode condition, horizontal
w
Step 3: Require second horizontal mode be in cutoff.

N II NI N II
2
 π 
N I2 −   (1 + 1)2 < N II2 N of second mode < N of clad
 k w′ 
 0 eff 
2 2 2
 π   π   
nf − 
2  −  4 < n 2f −  π  Substitute approx expr
k H   k w′  k h 
 0 eff   0 eff   0 eff 

[
′ ≡ w + 2γ y k0 N I2 − N II2
weff ] where

t′ r simplify
<
2 1− r 2

t ′ ≡ weff
′ H eff r ≡ heff H eff where
Condition in the literature (Pogossian, JLT 16, Oct 1998) is
r
t<
1− r 2 t ≡ weff H eff [
weff = w + 2γ c k0 (n 2f − nc2 )
12
]
Or (Soref, IEEE JQE, 27, Aug 1991)

r
t < 0.3 + t≡w H
2
1− r
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado Soref, IEEE JQE, 27, Aug 1991, 130
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Rib waveguides

Rib waveguides
Single mode condition, verification
Pogossian, JLT 16, Oct 1998

r
t < 0.3 +
1− r2
t,r defined in
terms of
actual
thicknesses

r
t<
1− r 2
t,r defined in
terms of
effective
thicknesses

Conclusion: 0.3 factor is wrong.

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 131
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Rib waveguides

SMC via numerical

mode solvers

W
≤ 0.05 +
(0.94 + 0.25H )r
H 1− r 2
0.3 < r < 0.5 & 1.0 µm < H < 1.5 µm

Single-Mode and Polarization-Independent Silicon-on-Insulator Waveguides

With Small Cross Section, Chan, JOURNAL OF LIGHTWAVE
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado TECHNOLOGY 23, NO. 6, JUNE 2005 2103 132
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Rib waveguides

Rib waveguides
Comparison to FD mode-solver

w = .25 µm t 0.88
h = .2 µm
H = .3 µm t ′ / 2 .84
r
r = 0.78 2
1.24
1− r

Both models predict SM

w = .5 µm t 1.43
h = .2 µm
H = .3 µm t ′ / 2 1.11
r
r = 0.78 1.24
1− r 2

Pogossian predicts MM,

Derived predicts SM

w = .75 µm t 1.99
h = .2 µm
H = .3 µm t ′ / 2 1.38
r
r = 0.78 2
1.24
1− r

Both predict MM

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 133

•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Wire waveguides

Si “wire” waveguides
h
r≡ =0
H
Air clad SiO2 clad

D. Van Thourhout, “Submicron Silicon Strip Waveguides,” Springer Series in Optical Sciences, 2006, number 119, pages 205-238

http://photonics.intec.ugent.be/download/pub_2451.pdf

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 134

•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Wire waveguides

Air-clad Si wire on SiO2

H=220 nm.
Air clad

No modes for w
< 280 nm or V
= 1.89

2π .280
1.89 = 3.47882 − 12
λ0 2

Silica clad
One mode in
two
polarizations
for w < 480 nm
or V < 3.1 ~ π.
Almost exactly
twice the
symmetric slab
case. Why?
Skew mode.

2π w
V= 3.47882 − 1.452 V
λ0 2
2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado Submicron Silicon Strip Waveguides, D. Van Thourhout 135
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Wire waveguides

Air-clad Si wire on SiO2

w=320 nm. 1 mode in one pol
H=220 nm

E00x N=1.7322

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado Submicron Silicon Strip Waveguides, D. Van Thourhout 136
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Wire waveguides

Air-clad Si wire on SiO2

w=500 nm. 1 mode in both pols
E00x N=2.3976 E00y N=1.5952

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 137

•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Wire waveguides

Air-clad Si wire on SiO2

w=650 nm. 3 modes in various pols
E00x N=2.5740 ? N=1.7161 ? N=1.6058

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado 138

•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Wire waveguides

SiO2 -clad Si wire on SiO2

w=280 nm. 1 mode in both pols
E00x N=1.7737 E00y N=1.5860

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado Submicron Silicon Strip Waveguides, D. Van Thourhout 139
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Wire waveguides

SiO2 -clad Si wire on SiO2

w=450 nm. 1 mode in both pols
E00x N=2.3617 E00y N=1.7465

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado Submicron Silicon Strip Waveguides, D. Van Thourhout 140
•Silicon photonics ECE 4006/5166 Guided Wave Optics
–Wire waveguides

SiO2 -clad Si wire on SiO2

w=620 nm. 2 modes
E00x N=2.585 E00y N=1.8485 E10x N=1.7450

Robert R. McLeod, University of Colorado Submicron Silicon Strip Waveguides, D. Van Thourhout 141