Integrated photonics platform : ǂb from passive low loss to active electrically tunable photonic crystals
Date
2024
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
In the current era, photonic integrated circuits have arisen as a pivotal platform for optical communication and computing components. The rapid expansion of component libraries in silicon photonics, characterized by verified performance through manufacturing, underscores the complexity, functionality, and scalability of the PIC system. Silicon photonics presents significant opportunities for on-chip optical interconnects, optical communications, signal processing, and sensing due to its advantages of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) compatibility, high yield, low power consumption, and high data rates. Devices based on photonic crystals offer a promising route to exploit the capability to engineer the propagation of the electromagnetic field on a microscopic scale, in addition to enabling the realization of devices with compact footprints. ☐ This thesis directs its attention towards a comprehensive exploration of the various tasks necessary to tackle the challenges and demands in the subsequent sections. First, it evaluates the scalability and repeatability of the low-loss after undercut of AIM fabricated photonic crystal waveguides (PhC WGs), setting a baseline for adopting the PhC-based compact devices into the industry standard photonic foundry toolbox. Next, the on-chip transformative optic system with a broadband metalens coupler on a foundry-compatible silicon photonic platform is desired for improving sensitivity in nanophotonic sensors and reducing operation power for PhC-based active silicon photonic components. Then, electrically reconfigurable photonic crystal structures, such as low-loss topological valley interfaces and photonic crystal resonators, have promisingly demonstrated significant potential for wide-range electro-optic (EO) modulation. Finally, the hybrid integration of low-dimensional materials on silicon structures demonstrates the potential for high-speed EO and optical trimming devices.
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Keywords
Photonic crystals, Silicon photonics, Photonic crystal waveguides, Nanophotonic structures, High transmission