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Sharp bends and Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on Ge-rich-SiGe waveguides on SiGe graded buffer
Optics Express
|December 25, 2015
Summary
Researchers developed a new germanium-rich silicon-germanium waveguide platform for photonic integrated circuits. This overcomes silicon-germanium lattice mismatch challenges, enabling low-loss components like Mach Zehnder interferometers.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Integrated Circuits
Background:
- Integrating germanium (Ge) active devices into silicon (Si) photonic integrated circuits (PICs) is hindered by lattice mismatch.
- Existing SiGe platforms face challenges in achieving high performance and integration density.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate a novel germanium-rich silicon-germanium (SiGe) waveguide on a graded buffer as a viable platform for PICs.
- To demonstrate key photonic components with improved performance using this new platform.
Main Methods:
- Design and fabrication of Ge-rich SiGe waveguides on graded buffer.
- Characterization of low-loss waveguide bends and Multimode Interferometer (MMI) beam splitters at 1550 nm wavelength.
- Demonstration of a Mach Zehnder interferometer (MZI) using the developed SiGe platform.
Main Results:
- Achieved low-loss waveguide bends with radii as small as 12 µm.
- Successfully designed and fabricated MMI beam splitters based on the Ge-rich SiGe waveguide.
- Demonstrated an MZI with an optical contrast exceeding 10 dB.
Conclusions:
- The Ge-rich SiGe waveguide on a graded buffer presents a promising platform for advanced PICs.
- This approach effectively mitigates lattice mismatch issues, enabling high-performance photonic devices.
- The demonstrated components pave the way for more complex and efficient integrated photonic systems.
