Novel U-groove channel for self-alignment of optical fibers with optical quality end-polished silicon rib waveguides using wet chemical micromachining techniques

Nam Quoc Ngo; Michel A. Rosa; Denis R. Sweatman; Sima Dimitrijev; H. Barry Harrison; Andrew Titmarsh

doi:10.1117/12.370370

12 November 1999 Novel U-groove channel for self-alignment of optical fibers with optical quality end-polished silicon rib waveguides using wet chemical micromachining techniques

Nam Quoc Ngo, Michel A. Rosa, Denis R. Sweatman, Sima Dimitrijev, H. Barry Harrison, Andrew Titmarsh

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3896, Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Photonic Devices; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.370370
Event: International Symposium on Photonics and Applications, 1999, Singapore, Singapore

Abstract

This paper presents a new cost-effective fiber-to-waveguide coupling method for self-aligning optical fibers on silicon platforms, and for achieving optical quality end-polished silicon-on-insulator (SOI) single-mode rib waveguide devices using wet chemical micromachining techniques. Through accurate alignment to the <011> plane(s) of the (100) device layer of a SOI wafer, rib waveguide devices with self-alignment features are fabricated with the ends of each waveguide wet etched and concurrently polished providing an optical quality facet or fiber-to waveguide interface. Eliminating the need to saw cut and then mechanically polish the waveguide device ends, the overall fabrication process is simplified and provides a fiber alignment capability at the ends of the waveguide devices with an alignment accuracy limited by fiber size tolerance. Experimental measurements were carried out to verify the optical quality of the waveguide facets formed using this new technique, which proved excess facet losses of practically unmeasurable quantities. Both simulation and experimental results were obtained to verify the single-mode nature of the rib waveguides.

Citation Download Citation

Nam Quoc Ngo, Michel A. Rosa, Denis R. Sweatman, Sima Dimitrijev, H. Barry Harrison, and Andrew Titmarsh "Novel U-groove channel for self-alignment of optical fibers with optical quality end-polished silicon rib waveguides using wet chemical micromachining techniques", Proc. SPIE 3896, Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Photonic Devices, (12 November 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.370370

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