Integrated Laser with Low-Loss High Index-Contrast Waveguides for OEICs.

Welty, R. J. ; Bond, T. C. ; Behymer, E. ; Pocha, M. ; Loomis, G. ; Wolfe, J. ; Vernon, S.

Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee

关键词: Lasers;    Photonic integrated circuits;    Electron cyclotron resonance;    Etching;    Absorption;   

RP-ID  :  DE2005314194

学科分类：工程和技术（综合）

美国|英语

来源: National Technical Reports Library

【 摘 要 】

Photonic integrated circuits require the ability to integrate both lasers and waveguides with low absorption and coupling loss. This technology is being developed at LLNL for digital logic gates for optical key generation circuits to facilitate secure communications. Here, we demonstrate an approach of integrating InGaAs DQW edge emitting lasers (EEL) with electron beam evaporated dielectric waveguides. The EELs are defined by electron cyclotron resonance etching (ECR). This approach results in highly anisotropic etched mirrors with smooth etched features (sidewall rms roughness = 28 (angstrom), surface rms roughness = 10 (angstrom)). The mirror is etched to form both the laser cavity and define the waveguide mesa, which accommodates a dielectric stack, where the core is aligned with the active region of the laser to achieve maximum vertical mode overlapping. The waveguides are based on SiO(sub 2)/Ta(sub 2)O(sub 5)/SiO(sub 2) which yields a high index contrast of 0.6, resulting in low loss guides ((approx.) 2-3dB/cm). The design of the interface has taken into account the waveguide transmission loss, air gap spacing and tilt between the laser and waveguide.