Pedestal antiresonant reflecting waveguides for robust coupling to microsphere resonators and for microphotonic circuits

Strip-line pedestal antiresonant reflecting waveguides are high-confinement , silica integrated optical waveguides in which the optical modes are compl etely isolated from the substrate by thin high-index layers. These waveguid es are particularly well suited for whispering-gallery mode excitation in h igh-Q microspheres. They can also be used in microphotonic circuits, such a s for microring resonators. The theory and design of these structures are h ighlighted. Experiments that show high coupling efficiency to microspheres are also demonstrated. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America.