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Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
Published on: November 30, 2012
Flat and low dispersion in highly nonlinear slot waveguides
Lin Zhang1, Yang Yue, Yinying Xiao-Li
1Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA. linzhang@usc.edu
Optics Express
|July 1, 2010
Summary
We developed novel slot waveguides using silicon nano-crystals and chalcogenide glass for low, flat dispersion. These waveguides offer enhanced nonlinearity for advanced photonic applications.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Nonlinear Optics
Background:
- Slot waveguides offer enhanced light-matter interaction.
- Achieving low and flat dispersion is crucial for nonlinear optical applications.
- Silicon nano-crystals and chalcogenide glasses are promising materials for integrated photonics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and investigate highly nonlinear slot waveguides.
- To achieve flat and low dispersion over a wide wavelength range.
- To explore the use of silicon nano-crystal and chalcogenide glass as slot materials.
Main Methods:
- Numerical simulations were performed to design the slot waveguides.
- The dispersion characteristics were analyzed over a broad wavelength range.
- Nonlinear coefficients and figures of merit were calculated for the proposed structures.
Main Results:
- A silicon nano-crystal slot waveguide achieved 0+/-0.16 ps/(nmxm) dispersion over 244 nm bandwidth with a nonlinear coefficient of 2874 /(Wm).
- An As(2)S(3) slot waveguide demonstrated 0+/-0.17 ps/(nmxm) dispersion over 249 nm bandwidth.
- The As(2)S(3) slot waveguide showed a 16x higher nonlinear coefficient and 3x higher nonlinear figure of merit compared to Si strip waveguides.
Conclusions:
- Highly nonlinear slot waveguides with excellent dispersion properties can be realized using Si nano-crystal and chalcogenide glass.
- These materials enable significant enhancements in nonlinear performance for integrated photonic devices.
- The proposed waveguides are suitable for a wide range of nonlinear optical applications requiring broad bandwidth and low dispersion.
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