DEVELOPMENT OF A LIBRARY OF LOW-LOSS SILICON-ON-INSULATOR OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES

Established silicon microelectronics fabrication methods can be exploi ted to fabricate low-loss silicon integrated optical devices of dimens ions which are compatible with single mode fibres and operate at the i mportant wavelengths of 1.3 and 1.5 mu m. Recent advances at the Unive rsity of Surrey, where research effort in this field has been to devel op a library of optoelectronic components. is highlighted. So far, rib and planar waveguides, including bends and Y-junctions, have been pro duced, together with design and fabrication of efficient optical modul ators based on the plasma dispersion effect. Within the experimental e rror, the waveguide losses are indistinguishable from the intrinsic ab sorption loss of pure silicon. The figure of merit for the modulators is greater than 200 degrees/V/mm and the operating current is 7 mA, wh ich improves on previous devices by approximately an order of magnitud e.