Novel fiber-to-waveguide coupling method using silicon-on-insulator micromachining techniques

摘要

Abstract: This paper presents a new cost-effective fiber-to-waveguide coupling method for self-aligning optical fibers on silicon platforms, and for achieving optical quality end-polished silicon-on-insulator (SOI) single-mode rib waveguide devices using wet chemical micromachining techniques. Through accurate alignment to the plane(s) of the device layer of a SOI wafer, rib waveguide devices with self-alignment features are fabricated with the ends of each waveguide wet etched and concurrently polished providing an optical quality facet or fiber-to-waveguide interface. Eliminating the need to saw cut and then mechanically polish the waveguide device ends, the overall fabrication process is simplified and provides a fiber alignment capability at the ends of the waveguide devices with an alignment accuracy limited by fiber size tolerance. Experimental measurements were carried out to verify the optical quality of the waveguide facets formed using this new technique, which proved excess facet losses of practically unmeasurable quantities. Both simulation and experimental results were obtained to verify the single-mode nature of the rib waveguides. !19