Losses in single-mode silicon-on-insulator strip waveguides and bends

Yurii A. Vlasov; Sharee J. McNab

doi:10.1364/OPEX.12.001622

Optics Express
Vol. 12,
Issue 8,
pp. 1622-1631
(2004)
•https://doi.org/10.1364/OPEX.12.001622

Losses in single-mode silicon-on-insulator strip waveguides and bends

Yurii A. Vlasov and Sharee J. McNab

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Yurii A. Vlasov and Sharee J. McNab, "Losses in single-mode silicon-on-insulator strip waveguides and bends," Opt. Express 12, 1622-1631 (2004)

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About this Article
History
- Original Manuscript: February 3, 2004
- Revised Manuscript: April 12, 2004
- Manuscript Accepted: April 12, 2004
- Published: April 19, 2004

Abstract

We report the fabrication and accurate measurement of propagation and bending losses in single-mode silicon waveguides with submicron dimensions fabricated on silicon-on-insulator wafers. Owing to the small sidewall surface roughness achieved by processing on a standard 200mm CMOS fabrication line, minimal propagation losses of 3.6±0.1dB/cm for the TE polarization were measured at the telecommunications wavelength of 1.5µm. Losses per 90° bend are measured to be 0.086±0.005dB for a bending radius of 1µm and as low as 0.013±0.005dB for a bend radius of 2µm. These record low numbers can be used as a benchmark for further development of silicon microphotonic components and circuits.

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Fig. 1. SEM images of a single-mode strip waveguide with 445×220nm core cross-section at different orientations to show the sidewall quality.

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Fig. 2. Transmission spectra of a set of 445×220nm SOI strip waveguides of different lengths measured for TE-polarized light. Spectra are normalized on transmission through a straight 4.2mm long strip waveguide without bends. Inset: schematic of the serpentine waveguide layout to obtain different waveguide lengths with aligned input and output ports.

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Fig. 3. Loss spectrum derived from the results of Fig. 2 for 445x220nm SOI strip waveguide. Blue (red) line corresponds to TE (TM) polarizations. Circles represent results from the loss measurements obtained by fitting the slope as shown in the inset. Inset: TE transmission as a function of the waveguide length for two different wavelengths of 1300 and 1500nm. Top panel shows the mode profile for TE- and TM-like modes of the waveguide at 1300nm wavelengths.

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Fig. 4. Spectra of bending losses for TE (a) and TM (b) polarizations. Red, green and blue curves correspond to measurements of bends with radii R=1, 2, and 5 microns.

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Tables (2)

Table 1. Comparison of propagation losses of the TE mode measured in single-mode SOI strip waveguides.

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Table 2. Comparison of bending losses of the TE mode measured in single-mode SOI strip waveguides.

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Equations (2)

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α = \frac{4 σ^{2} h^{2}}{β (r + 2 ⁄ p)} = \frac{σ^{2} k_{0}^{2} h}{β} \cdot \frac{E_{s}^{2}}{\int E^{2} d x} \cdot Δ n^{2}

α = K \cdot \exp (- c R), where c = β {(2 Δ n_{eff} ⁄ n_{eff})}^{\frac{3}{2}}

Reference	Height (nm)	Width (nm)	Loss (dB/cm)	Wavelength (nm)	Method	Note
This work	220	445	3.6±0.1	1500	cut-back	21mm long
[4]	220	465	3.5±2	1500	IR capture	4mm long
[13]	270	470	5±2	1550	Fabry-Perot	13mm long
[10]	220	400	33.8±1.7	1550	Fabry-Perot	1mm long
	220	450	7.4±0.9	1550
	220	500	2.4±1.6	1550
[11]	300	300	6	1550	cut-back	oxidation smoothing,
	300	300	13	1550		16mm long
[9]	320	400	25±10	1550	Fabry-Perot	0.18mm long
[5–8]	200	500	32	1540	cut-back	silica cladding

Reference	Height (nm)	Width (nm)	Radius (µm)	Loss (dB/turn)	Wavelength (nm)	Note
This work	220	445	1	0.086±0.005	1500	20 bends
			2	0.013±0.005	1500
			5	±0.005	1500
[11]	300	300	2	0.46	1550	24 bends
			3	0.17	1550
[9]	320	400	1	±3	1550
[8]	200	500	1	0.5	1540	12 bends,
			Resonant	0.3	1540	poly-Si
[10]	220	400	Resonant	1	1550	2 bends
[12]	340	400	Resonant	1	1550	2 bends

Reference	Height (nm)	Width (nm)	Loss (dB/cm)	Wavelength (nm)	Method	Note
This work	220	445	3.6±0.1	1500	cut-back	21mm long
[4]	220	465	3.5±2	1500	IR capture	4mm long
[13]	270	470	5±2	1550	Fabry-Perot	13mm long
[10]	220	400	33.8±1.7	1550	Fabry-Perot	1mm long
	220	450	7.4±0.9	1550
	220	500	2.4±1.6	1550
[11]	300	300	6	1550	cut-back	oxidation smoothing,
	300	300	13	1550		16mm long
[9]	320	400	25±10	1550	Fabry-Perot	0.18mm long
[5–8]	200	500	32	1540	cut-back	silica cladding

Reference	Height (nm)	Width (nm)	Radius (µm)	Loss (dB/turn)	Wavelength (nm)	Note
This work	220	445	1	0.086±0.005	1500	20 bends
			2	0.013±0.005	1500
			5	±0.005	1500
[11]	300	300	2	0.46	1550	24 bends
			3	0.17	1550
[9]	320	400	1	±3	1550
[8]	200	500	1	0.5	1540	12 bends,
			Resonant	0.3	1540	poly-Si
[10]	220	400	Resonant	1	1550	2 bends
[12]	340	400	Resonant	1	1550	2 bends

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Equations (2)

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