Fast infrared light modulation in a-Si : H micro-devices for fiber-to-the-home applications

We have produced and measured the properties of a fast switching micro-opti c device in a rib-like configuration working at the 1.3 and 1.55 mu m fiber communication wavelengths for fiber-to-the-home applications. The core gui ding layer is made of intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) dep osited by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) with absorptio n coefficients sufficiently small at the wavelength of interest. The signal modulation is performed exploiting the thermo-optic effect of thin film a- Si:H in a Fabry-Perot waveguide integrated interferometer. Switching times <10 mu s have been obtained with two different types of cladding layer. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.