Zhifeng Yang

Three-Dimensional Tapered Spot-Size Converter Based on (111) Silicon-on-Insulator

A novel method is presented to realize a three- dimensional (3-D) spot-size converter (SSC) by standard silicon micromachining techniques, for efficient coupling from single-mode fiber to silicon photonic chip. The SSC is comprised of input-output waveguides and a 3-D tapered coupler on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The dimensions are decreased linearly in both vertical and horizontal directions from input facet to output facet. The slope in the vertical direction is originated from the angle between the surface of (111) SOI wafer and the real (111) crystal plane. Fabrication of the device has large process tolerance and its effectiveness was conformed by optical loss measurement.

Fabrication and characterization of integrated three-dimensional linear taper on silicon-on-insulator

Fabrication and characterization of an integrated 3-D linear taper are reported, which is based on (111) silicon-on-insulator for efficient coupling between a single-mode fiber and planar photonic devices. The fabrication process involved wafer bonding, anisotropic etching, and dry etching. The 3-D taper measured 75 µm in length. The input waveguide, 5.6×5 µm2 in dimensions of the end facet, was compressed to dimensions of 0.6×1.8 µm2 of the end facet in the output waveguide. The measured average net transmission loss was 0.52 dB at the wavelength of 1.55 µm.

A novel method of fabricating 3D spot-size converter on (111) SOI

We present a novel method to realize 3D adiabatically Spot-Size Converter (SSC) structures by standard silicon micromachining technics, for efficient coupling from single-mode fiber or free-space to silicon photonic chip. The SSC is comprised of I/O waveguides and a 3D tapered coupler on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The dimensions are decreased linearly in both vertical and horizontal directions from input facet to output facet. The slope in vertical direction was originated from the angle between the surface of (111) SOI wafer and the real (111) crystal plane. Fabrication of the device has large process tolerance, and its effectiveness was conformed by optical loss measurement.