Optimizing SOI Slot Waveguide Fabrication Tolerances and Strip-Slot Coupling for Very Efficient Optical Sensing
Slot waveguides are becoming more and more attractive optical components, especially for chemical and bio-chemical sensing. In this paper an accurate analysis of slot waveguide fabrication tolerances is carried out, in order to find optimum design criteria for either homogeneous or absorption sensin...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2012-02-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/12/3/2436/ |
| _version_ | 1818472951514660864 |
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| author | Vittorio M. N. Passaro Mario La Notte |
| author_facet | Vittorio M. N. Passaro Mario La Notte |
| author_sort | Vittorio M. N. Passaro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Slot waveguides are becoming more and more attractive optical components, especially for chemical and bio-chemical sensing. In this paper an accurate analysis of slot waveguide fabrication tolerances is carried out, in order to find optimum design criteria for either homogeneous or absorption sensing mechanisms, in cases of low and high aspect ratio slot waveguides. In particular, we have focused on Silicon On Insulator (SOI) technology, representing the most popular technology for this kind of devices, simultaneously achieving high integration capabilities, small dimensions and low cost. An accurate analysis of single mode behavior for high aspect ratio slot waveguide has been also performed, in order to provide geometric limits for waveguide design purposes. Finally, the problem of coupling into a slot waveguide is addressed and a very compact and efficient slot coupler is proposed, whose geometry has been optimized to give a strip-slot-strip coupling efficiency close to 100%. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:14:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-145636064a8848f193ab93cbf3a21b9f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T04:14:53Z |
| publishDate | 2012-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-145636064a8848f193ab93cbf3a21b9f2022-12-22T02:12:52ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202012-02-011232436245510.3390/s120302436Optimizing SOI Slot Waveguide Fabrication Tolerances and Strip-Slot Coupling for Very Efficient Optical SensingVittorio M. N. PassaroMario La NotteSlot waveguides are becoming more and more attractive optical components, especially for chemical and bio-chemical sensing. In this paper an accurate analysis of slot waveguide fabrication tolerances is carried out, in order to find optimum design criteria for either homogeneous or absorption sensing mechanisms, in cases of low and high aspect ratio slot waveguides. In particular, we have focused on Silicon On Insulator (SOI) technology, representing the most popular technology for this kind of devices, simultaneously achieving high integration capabilities, small dimensions and low cost. An accurate analysis of single mode behavior for high aspect ratio slot waveguide has been also performed, in order to provide geometric limits for waveguide design purposes. Finally, the problem of coupling into a slot waveguide is addressed and a very compact and efficient slot coupler is proposed, whose geometry has been optimized to give a strip-slot-strip coupling efficiency close to 100%.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/12/3/2436/slot waveguideshomogeneous optical sensingslot couplers |
| spellingShingle | Vittorio M. N. Passaro Mario La Notte Optimizing SOI Slot Waveguide Fabrication Tolerances and Strip-Slot Coupling for Very Efficient Optical Sensing Sensors slot waveguides homogeneous optical sensing slot couplers |
| title | Optimizing SOI Slot Waveguide Fabrication Tolerances and Strip-Slot Coupling for Very Efficient Optical Sensing |
| title_full | Optimizing SOI Slot Waveguide Fabrication Tolerances and Strip-Slot Coupling for Very Efficient Optical Sensing |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing SOI Slot Waveguide Fabrication Tolerances and Strip-Slot Coupling for Very Efficient Optical Sensing |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing SOI Slot Waveguide Fabrication Tolerances and Strip-Slot Coupling for Very Efficient Optical Sensing |
| title_short | Optimizing SOI Slot Waveguide Fabrication Tolerances and Strip-Slot Coupling for Very Efficient Optical Sensing |
| title_sort | optimizing soi slot waveguide fabrication tolerances and strip slot coupling for very efficient optical sensing |
| topic | slot waveguides homogeneous optical sensing slot couplers |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/12/3/2436/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vittoriomnpassaro optimizingsoislotwaveguidefabricationtolerancesandstripslotcouplingforveryefficientopticalsensing AT mariolanotte optimizingsoislotwaveguidefabricationtolerancesandstripslotcouplingforveryefficientopticalsensing |