Efficient, broadband and compact metal grating couplers for silicon-on-insulator waveguides

doi:10.1364/OE.15.009625

Efficient, broadband and compact metal grating couplers for silicon-on-insulator waveguides

Stijn Scheerlinck, Jonathan Schrauwen, Frederik Van Laere, Dirk Taillaert, Dries Van Thourhout, and Roel Baets »View Author Affiliations

Optics Express, Vol. 15, Issue 15, pp. 9625-9630 (2007)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.15.009625

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Abstract

Compact metal grating couplers for efficient and broadband coupling between optical fibers and silicon-on-insulator waveguides are proposed and demonstrated. Simulation results for silver, gold, aluminum and copper grating couplers are presented. Using a uniform silver grating, coupling efficiencies are calculated as high as 60 % at a wavelength of 1.55 µm. Metal grating couplers require only one single etching or lift-off step and are therefore very easy to fabricate. As a proof of principle, a gold grating coupler for near-vertical fiber-to-waveguide coupling was fabricated using e-beam writing and lift-off, demonstrating 34 % coupling efficiency and a 1 dB-bandwidth of 40 nm. Measurement data and simulation results are in good agreement.

OCIS Codes
(050.2770) Diffraction and gratings : Gratings
(130.0130) Integrated optics : Integrated optics

ToC Category:
Diffraction and Gratings

History
Original Manuscript: May 1, 2007
Revised Manuscript: June 28, 2007
Manuscript Accepted: July 8, 2007
Published: July 18, 2007

Citation
Stijn Scheerlinck, Jonathan Schrauwen, Frederik Van Laere, Dirk Taillaert, Dries Van Thourhout, and Roel Baets, "Efficient, broadband and compact metal grating couplers for silicon-on-insulator waveguides," Opt. Express 15, 9625-9630 (2007)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-15-9625

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References

W. Bogaerts, R. Baets, P. Dumon, V. Wiaux, S. Beckx, D. Taillaert, B. Luyssaert, J. Van Campenhout, P. Bienstman, and D. Van Thourhout, "Nanophotonic waveguides in silicon-on-insulator fabricated with CMOS technology," J. Lightwave Technol. 23, 401-412 (2005). [CrossRef]
D. Taillaert, P. Bienstman, and R. Baets, "Compact efficient broadband grating coupler for silicon-on-insulator waveguides," Opt. Lett. 29, 2749--2751 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
D. Taillaert, R. Baets, P. Dumon, W. Bogaerts, D. Van Thourhout, B. Luyssaert, V. Wiaux, S. Beckx, J. Wouters, "Silicon-on-Insulator platform for integrated wavelength-selective Components," Proc. of IEEE/LEOS Workshop on Fibers and Optical Passive Components, 115--120 (2005). [CrossRef]
F. Van Laere, G. Roelkens, M. Ayre, J. Schrauwen, D. Taillaert, D. Van Thourhout, T. F. Krauss, and R. Baets, "Compact and highly efficient grating couplers between optical fiber and nanophotonic waveguides," J. Lightwave Technol. 25, 151--156 (2007). [CrossRef]
G. Roelkens, D. Van Thourhout, and R. Baets, "High efficiency Silicon-on-Insulator grating coupler based on a poly-Silicon overlay," Opt. Express, 14, 11622--11630 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
P. Bienstman and R. Baets, "Optical modeling of photonic crystals and VCSEL's using eigenmode expansion and perfectly matched layers," Opt. Quantum Electron. 33, 349-354 (2001). [CrossRef]
P. B. Johnson and R. W. Christy, "Optical Constants of the Noble Metals," Phys. Rev. B 6,4370-4379 (1972). [CrossRef]
E. D. Palik, "Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids," Academic Press Inc. (1985), ISBN 0-12-544420-6.
R. Emmons and D. Hall, "Buried-oxide silicon-on-insulator structures II: Waveguide grating couplers," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 28, 164-175 (1992). [CrossRef]
T. Suhara and H. Nishihara, "Integrated optics components and devices using periodic structures," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 22, 845-867 (2002). [CrossRef]
K. A. Bates, L. Li, R. Roncone, and J. Burke, "Gaussian beams from variable groove depth grating couplers in planar waveguides," Appl. Opt. 32, 2112-2116 (1993). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
R. Waldhausl, B. Schnabel, P. Dannberg, E. Kley, A. Brauer, W. Karthe, "Efficient coupling into polymer waveguides by gratings," Appl. Opt. 36, 9383-9390 (1997). [CrossRef]

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[1] W. Bogaerts, R. Baets, P. Dumon, V. Wiaux, S. Beckx, D. Taillaert, B. Luyssaert, J. Van Campenhout, P. Bienstman, and D. Van Thourhout, "Nanophotonic waveguides in silicon-on-insulator fabricated with CMOS technology," J. Lightwave Technol. 23, 401-412 (2005). [CrossRef]

[2] D. Taillaert, P. Bienstman, and R. Baets, "Compact efficient broadband grating coupler for silicon-on-insulator waveguides," Opt. Lett. 29, 2749--2751 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[3] D. Taillaert, R. Baets, P. Dumon, W. Bogaerts, D. Van Thourhout, B. Luyssaert, V. Wiaux, S. Beckx, J. Wouters, "Silicon-on-Insulator platform for integrated wavelength-selective Components," Proc. of IEEE/LEOS Workshop on Fibers and Optical Passive Components, 115--120 (2005). [CrossRef]

[4] F. Van Laere, G. Roelkens, M. Ayre, J. Schrauwen, D. Taillaert, D. Van Thourhout, T. F. Krauss, and R. Baets, "Compact and highly efficient grating couplers between optical fiber and nanophotonic waveguides," J. Lightwave Technol. 25, 151--156 (2007). [CrossRef]

[5] G. Roelkens, D. Van Thourhout, and R. Baets, "High efficiency Silicon-on-Insulator grating coupler based on a poly-Silicon overlay," Opt. Express, 14, 11622--11630 (2006). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[6] P. Bienstman and R. Baets, "Optical modeling of photonic crystals and VCSEL's using eigenmode expansion and perfectly matched layers," Opt. Quantum Electron. 33, 349-354 (2001). [CrossRef]

[7] P. B. Johnson and R. W. Christy, "Optical Constants of the Noble Metals," Phys. Rev. B 6,4370-4379 (1972). [CrossRef]

[8] E. D. Palik, "Handbook of Optical Constants of Solids," Academic Press Inc. (1985), ISBN 0-12-544420-6.

[9] R. Emmons and D. Hall, "Buried-oxide silicon-on-insulator structures II: Waveguide grating couplers," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 28, 164-175 (1992). [CrossRef]

[10] T. Suhara and H. Nishihara, "Integrated optics components and devices using periodic structures," IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 22, 845-867 (2002). [CrossRef]

[11] K. A. Bates, L. Li, R. Roncone, and J. Burke, "Gaussian beams from variable groove depth grating couplers in planar waveguides," Appl. Opt. 32, 2112-2116 (1993). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

[12] R. Waldhausl, B. Schnabel, P. Dannberg, E. Kley, A. Brauer, W. Karthe, "Efficient coupling into polymer waveguides by gratings," Appl. Opt. 36, 9383-9390 (1997). [CrossRef]

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Efficient, broadband and compact metal grating couplers for silicon-on-insulator waveguides