Slow light with a remarkably low group velocity is a promising solution for buffering and time-domain processing of optical signals. It also offers the possibility for spatial compression of optical energy and the enhancement of linear and nonlinear optical effects. Photonic-crystal devices are especially attractive for generating slow light, as they are compatible with on-chip integration and room-temperature operation, and can offer wide-bandwidth and dispersion-free propagation. Here the background theory, recent experimental demonstrations and progress towards tunable slow-light structures based on photonic-band engineering are reviewed. Practical issues related to real devices and their applications are also discussed. The unique properties of wide-bandwidth and dispersion-free propagation in photonic-crystal devices have made them a good candidate for slow-light generation. This article gives the background theory of slow light, as well as an overview of recent experimental demonstrations based on photonic-band engineering.

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Slow light in photonic crystals

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 1.5microm. Losses per 90 masculine bend are measured to be 0.086+/-0.005dB for a bending radius of 1microm and as low as 0.013+/-0.005dB for a bend radius of 2microm. These record low numbers can be used as a benchmark for further development of silicon microphotonic components and circuits.

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

We propose and demonstrate an efficient coupler for compact mode conversion between a fiber and a submicrometer waveguide. The coupler is composed of high-index-contrast materials and is based on a short taper with a nanometer-sized tip. We show that the micrometer-long silicon-on-insulator-based nanotaper coupler is able to efficiently convert both the mode field profile and the effective index, with a total length as short as 40 microm. We measure an enhancement of the coupling efficiency between an optical fiber and a waveguide by 1 order of magnitude due to the coupler.

Nanotaper for compact mode conversion.

This work presents our recent progress in the development of an Si wire waveguiding system for microphotonics devices. The Si wire waveguide promises size reduction and high-density integration of optical circuits due to its strong light confinement. However, large connection and propagation losses had been serious problems. We solved these problems by using a spot-size converter and improving the microfabrication technology. As a result, propagation losses as low as 2.8 dB/cm for a 400/spl times/200 nm waveguide and a coupling loss of 0.5 dB per connection were obtained. As we have the technologies for the fabrication of complex, practical optical devices using Si wire waveguides, we used them to make microphotonics devices, such as a ring resonator and lattice filter. The devices we made exhibit excellent characteristics because of the microfabrication with the precision of a few nanometers. We have also demonstrated that Si wire waveguides have great potential for use in nonlinear optical devices.

Microphotonics devices based on silicon microfabrication technology

A novel integrated mode size converter for single-mode Si wire waveguides is presented. The mode size converter is constructed with two-dimensional tapered Si waveguides and overlaid high-index polymer waveguides. We calculated the proposed mode size converter characteristics, and fabricated 1.09 mm length Si wire waveguides with the converters. The measured loss of the mode size converter was 0.8 dB per conversion, and the total insertion loss through the sample with an Si wire waveguide was 3.5 dB.

Low loss mode size converter from 0.3 [micro sign]m square Si wire waveguides to singlemode fibres

A submicron rectangular waveguide with a relative refractive index difference Δ of 45% was fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator substrate, and its propagation characteristics were evaluated using the Fabry-Perot resonance method. The propagation loss was of the order of 10 cm-1, and was dominated by light scattering at rough interfaces. However, a large modal effective index of more than 4.5 and a low bend loss of less than 1 dB at a 0.5-µm-radius bend were also observed. These results suggest the potential of an ultrasmall and high-density lightwave circuit, which accepts the relatively large propagation loss.

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Go Hara

Papers

Propagation Characteristics of Ultrahigh-Δ Optical Waveguide on Silicon-on-Insulator Substrate

Propagation Characteristics of Ultrahigh-Δ Optical Waveguide on Silicon-on-Insulator Substrate : Optics and Quantum Electronics