Amorphous silicon based waveguides and light modulators for silicon low-cost photonic integrated circuits

摘要

This paper reports about the fabrication and experimental test of an interferometric light intensity modulator integrated in a low loss (0.7 dB/cm), amorphous silicon based waveguide. It measures approximately 1 mm in length, while its cross section is 30- um m-wide and 3- um m-high. The device, which exploits the strong thermo-optic effect in thin film -Si for its operation, is designed for application at the infrared wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.55 um m. The measured maximum operating on-off switching frequency of the device is 600 kHz. The very simple fabrication technology involves maximum process temperatures of 230 deg C, and is therefore compatible with the standard microelectronic technology. This offers a new opportunity for the integration of optical and electronic functions on the same substrate.