Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
11:08
Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
Published on: November 30, 2012
Horizontal single and multiple slot waveguides: optical transmission at lambda = 1550 nm.
Rong Sun1, Po Dong, Ning-ning Feng
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA. rsun@mit.edu
Optics Express
|June 25, 2009
Summary
We demonstrated horizontal slot waveguides with low propagation loss for optical transmission. Multiple slot designs enhance light confinement in silicon dioxide and amorphous silicon structures.
Area of Science:
- Photonics and Optical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Slot waveguides offer potential for enhanced light confinement.
- Amorphous silicon (a-Si) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) are common materials in integrated photonics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally demonstrate optical transmission in horizontal single and multiple slot waveguides and ring resonators at 1550 nm.
- To compare the optical confinement and propagation loss of single versus multiple slot configurations.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of horizontal single and multiple slot waveguides and ring resonators using a-Si and SiO2.
- Experimental measurement of optical transmission at 1550 nm.
- Comparison of thermo-optic coefficients to assess optical confinement.
- Measurement of propagation loss.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated optical transmission of fundamental slot modes (quasi-TM modes) at 1550 nm.
- Horizontal multiple slot configurations showed enhanced optical confinement in low-index slot regions compared to single slot structures.
- Observed low propagation loss (6-7 dB/cm) in horizontal slot waveguides, primarily due to a-Si material absorption.
- Found that a-Si/SiO2 interfaces did not significantly increase scattering loss in multiple slot waveguides.
Conclusions:
- Horizontal slot waveguides, particularly the multiple slot design, are promising for integrated photonic applications.
- The a-Si/SiO2 material system is suitable for low-loss slot waveguide fabrication.
- Further optimization can reduce material absorption losses for improved device performance.
