Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 6, 2025
05:57
Characterization of SiN Integrated Optical Phased Arrays on a Wafer-Scale Test Station
Published on: April 1, 2020
8.2K
Demonstration of an ultra-compact 8-channel sinusoidal silicon waveguide array for optical phased array
Optics Letters
|January 14, 2022
Summary
This study presents an ultra-compact silicon waveguide array for optical phased arrays. The device minimizes crosstalk and insertion loss, enabling energy-efficient systems with a wide field of view.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Integrated Optics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Optical phased arrays (OPAs) are crucial for beam steering applications.
- Miniaturization and energy efficiency are key challenges in OPA development.
- Reducing waveguide pitch is essential for large field-of-view OPAs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate an ultra-compact 8-channel sinusoidal silicon waveguide array.
- To reduce crosstalk (CT) and insertion loss (IL) in waveguide arrays.
- To enable energy-efficient OPAs with a large field of view.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of an 8-channel silicon waveguide array using sinusoidal bending.
- Simulations of insertion loss and crosstalk for the transverse electric (TE) mode.
- Experimental measurements of IL and CT at 1550 nm.
Main Results:
- Achieved a waveguide pitch of 695 nm, enabling ultra-compactness.
- Simulated IL of 0.1 dB and CT below -25 dB for a 100-µm-long device.
- Measured IL below 1 dB and CT below -18 dB.
Conclusions:
- The sinusoidal waveguide array significantly reduces crosstalk.
- The ultra-compact design is suitable for energy-efficient OPAs.
- This device offers potential for large field-of-view optical phased array emitters.
