Isa Kiyat

A compact silicon-on-insulator polarization splitter

A compact directional coupler-based polarization splitter is designed and realized using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides. Even though silicon does not have any material birefringence, the high index contrast obtained in the SOI platform and reduced waveguide dimensions makes it possible to induce significant birefringence. Polarization splitting is achieved by making use of this geometry-induced birefringence. In this work, we demonstrate polarization splitting in devices as short as 120 /spl mu/m. Even smaller devices can be made using submicron-thick Si waveguides.

High-Q silicon-on-insulator optical rib waveguide racetrack resonators

In this work, detailed design and realization of high quality factor (Q) racetrack resonators based on silicon-on-insulator rib waveguides are presented. Aiming to achieve critical coupling, suitable waveguide geometry is determined after extensive numerical studies of bending loss. The final design is obtained after coupling factor calculations and estimation of propagation loss. Resonators with quality factors (Q) as high as 119000 has been achieved, the highest Q value for resonators based on silicon-on-insulator rib waveguides to date with extinction ratios as large as 12 dB.

Low-power thermooptical tuning of SOI resonator switch

A wavelength selective optical switch is developed based on a high-Q racetrack resonator making use of the large thermooptic coefficient of silicon. The racetrack resonator was fabricated using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) single-mode rib waveguide. The resonator shows a high Q factor of 38 000 with spectral sidelobes of 11 dB down and can be thermooptically scanned over its full free-spectral range applying only 57 mW of electrical power. A low power of 17 mW is enough to tune the device from resonance to off-resonance state. The device functions as a wavelength selective optical switch with a 3-dB cutoff frequency of 210 kHz.

Integrated micro ring resonator displacement sensor for scanning probe microscopies

We describe a novel displacement sensor for scanning probe microscopies using an integrated optical micro ring resonator. This device operates by means of monitoring the changes in the transmission spectrum of a high finesse micro ring resonator. Finite element method simulations were carried out to obtain the optimum sensor design and finite difference time domain simulation was used to obtain the transfer characteristics of micro ring resonators. Operation principles and sensitivity calculations are discussed in detail. To achieve high sensitivity, we have studied different types of ring resonator. The highest sensitivity is obtained in a race-track resonator. This new design should provide sensitivities as high as ~10−4 A−1.

Polarization characteristics of compact SOI rib waveguide racetrack resonators

We report on the development of compact optical racetrack resonators on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) rib waveguides. We make use of large-cross-section waveguides instead of photonic wire waveguides. We fabricated resonators with bending radii down to 20 /spl mu/m and characterized for both transverse-electric and transverse-magnetic polarizations. Different polarization characteristics were analyzed and related to the modal shape of the SOI waveguide. These compact resonators show large free spectral ranges (3.0 nm), high finesse (19), and Q-factor (28 000) values.

High-refractive-index measurement with an elastomeric grating coupler

An elastomeric grating coupler fabricated by the replica molding technique is used to measure the modal indices of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) planar waveguide structure. Because of the van der Waals interaction between the grating mold and the waveguide, the elastomeric stamp makes conformal contact with the waveguide surface, inducing a periodic index perturbation at the contact region. The phase of the incident light is changed to match the guided modes of the waveguide. The modal and bulk indices are obtained by measuring the coupling angles. This technique serves to measure the high refractive index with a precision better than 10(-3) and allows the elastomeric stamp to be removed without damaging the surface of the waveguide.

Integrated Optical Asymmetric Coupler Pressure Sensor

Analysis of a novel pressure sensor based on a silicon‐on‐insulator (SOI) asymmetric vertical coupler is presented. The integrated optical component is a coupler composed of a single mode (SM) low index waveguide and a thin silicon slab. High sensitivities of about 0.14 rad.kPa−1 should be achieved.

Integrated asymmetric vertical coupler pressure sensors

Design and analysis of a novel pressure sensor based on a silicon-on-insulator asymmetric integrated vertical coupler is presented. The coupler is composed of a single mode low index waveguide and a thin silicon slab. Wavelength selective optical modulation of asymmetric vertical coupler is examined in detail. Its potential for sensing applications is highlighted as an integrated optical pressure sensor which can be realized by standard silicon micro-fabrication. Sensitivity of transmission of such couplers on refractive index change of silicon slab ensures that they are good candidates for applications requiring high sensitivities.

Pressure sensing using micromachined asymmetric integrated vertical coupler

Analysis of a novel pressure sensor based on a SOI asymmetric vertical coupler is presented. The integrated optical component is a coupler composed of a single mode low index waveguide and a thin silicon slab.

Novel integrated optical displacement sensor for scanning force microscopies

A novel displacement sensor for scanning force microscopies using an integrated optical micro-ring resonator is described. Device operates by monitoring the changes in transmission spectrum of micro-ring resonator. This design provides sensitivities about /spl sim/10/sup -4/ /spl Aring//sup -1/.