Riccardo Marchetti

Reduced nonlinearities in 100-nm high SOI waveguides

Here we show the results of an experimental analysis dedicated to investigate the impact of optical non linear effects, such as two-photon absorption (TPA), free-carrier absorption (FCA) and free-carrier dispersion (FCD), on the performance of integrated micro-resonator based filters for application in WDM telecommunication systems. The filters were fabricated using SOI (Silicon-on-Insulator) technology by CEA-Leti, in the frame of the FP7 Fabulous Project, which aims to develop low-cost and high-performance integrated optical devices to be used in new generation passive optical- networks (NG-PON2). Different designs were tested, including both ring-based structures and racetrack-based structures, with single-, double- or triple- resonator configuration, and using different waveguide cross-sections (from 500 x 200 nm to 825 x 100 nm). Measurements were carried out using an external cavity tunable laser source operating in the extended telecom bandwidth, using both continuous wave signals and 10 Gbit/s modulated signals. Results show that the use 100-nm high waveguide allows reducing the impact of non-linear losses, with respect to the standard waveguides, thus increasing by more than 3 dB the maximum amount of optical power that can be injected into the devices before causing significant non-linear effects. Measurements with OOK-modulated signals at 10 Gbit/s showed that TPA and FCA don’t affect the back-to-back BER of the signal, even when long pseudo-random-bit-sequences (PRBS) are used, as the FCD-induced filter-detuning increases filter losses but “prevents” excessive signal degradation.

High-efficiency grating-couplers: demonstration of a new design strategy

We present a simple and practical strategy that allows to design high-efficiency grating couplers. The technique is based on the simultaneous apodization of two structural parameters: the grating period and the fill-factor, along with the optimization of the grating coupler etching depth. Considering a 260 nm Si-thick Silicon-on-insulator platform, we numerically demonstrated a coupling efficiency of −0.8 dB (83%), well matching the experimental value of −0.9 dB (81%). Thanks to the optimized design, these results represent the best performance ever reported in the literature for SOI structures without the use of any back-reflector.

Group-velocity dispersion in SOI-based channel waveguides with reduced-height

We report on the experimental characterization, in the telecom C-band, of group-velocity dispersion (D) in 100-nm high rectangular strip waveguides realized by silicon-on-insulator technology. We compare the experimental results with numerical predictions, showing that 100-nm high waveguides exhibit normal dispersion and that the absolute value of the dispersion coefficient D decreases as the waveguide width is increased. D at 1550 nm varies from -8130 to -3900 ps/(nm·km) by increasing the waveguide width from 500 to 800 nm.

Low-loss integrated ring-resonator filters realized by CMOS fabrication process

During the last decade Silicon photonics emerged as mature technology in the field of integrated optics for the fabrication of low-cost optical integrated circuits [1]. Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) represents the ideal platform for the realization of optical circuits characterized by a strong optical confinement, because of the large index contrast between silicon and silicon-oxide. Moreover, using the SOI technology allows taking advantage of the reliable and well-consolidated techniques developed to process CMOS integrated circuits during more than 50 years. We report on the research activity that has been dedicated to the design and characterization of optical filters based on micro-resonators suitable to process optical WDM signals. The project was carried out in the framework of the FP7 European project “FABULOUS” (FDMA Access By Using Low-cost Optical network Units in Silicon photonics), aiming to develop low-cost optoelectronic components for new generation passive-optical-networks.

Design and characterization of low-loss 2D grating couplers for silicon photonics integrated circuits

We present the characterization of Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) photonic-crystal based 2D grating-couplers (2D-GCs) fabricated by CEA-Leti in the frame of the FP7 Fabulous project, which is dedicated to the realization of devices and systems for low-cost and high-performance passives-optical-networks. On the analyzed samples different test structures are present, including 2D-GC connected to another 2D-GC by different waveguides (in a Mach-Zehnder like configuration), and 2D-GC connected to two separate 2D-GCs, so as to allow a complete assessment of different parameters. Measurements were carried out using a tunable laser source operating in the extended telecom bandwidth and a fiber-based polarization controlling system at the input of device-under-test. The measured data yielded an overall fiber-to-fiber loss of 7.5 dB for the structure composed by an input 2D-GC connected to two identical 2D-GCs. This value was obtained at the peak wavelength of the grating, and the 3-dB bandwidth of the 2D-GC was assessed to be 43 nm. Assuming that the waveguide losses are negligible, so as to make a worst-case analysis, the coupling efficiency of the single 2D-GC results to be equal to -3.75 dB, constituting, to the best of our knowledge, the lowest value ever reported for a fully CMOS compatible 2D-GC. It is worth noting that both the obtained values are in good agreement with those expected by the numerical simulations performed using full 3D analysis by Lumerical FDTD-solutions.