Open AccessInvestigation of local strain distribution and linear electro-optic effect in strained silicon waveguides
Author(s) -
Bartos Chmielak,
Christopher Matheisen,
Christian Ripperda,
Jens Bolten,
T. Wahlbrink,
Michael Waldow,
H. Kurz
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.21.025324
Subject(s) - materials science , silicon , optics , waveguide , strain (injury) , raman spectroscopy , nonlinear optics , core (optical fiber) , silicon photonics , refractive index , enhanced data rates for gsm evolution , raman amplification , strained silicon , optoelectronics , raman scattering , physics , crystalline silicon , composite material , laser , medicine , telecommunications , amorphous silicon , computer science
We present detailed investigations of the local strain distribution and the induced second-order optical nonlinearity within strained silicon waveguides cladded with a Si₃N₄ strain layer. Micro-Raman Spectroscopy mappings and electro-optic characterization of waveguides with varying width w(WG) show that strain gradients in the waveguide core and the effective second-order susceptibility χ(2)(yyz) increase with reduced w(WG). For 300 nm wide waveguides a mean effective χ(2)(yyz) of 190 pm/V is achieved, which is the highest value reported for silicon so far. To gain more insight into the origin of the extraordinary large optical second-order nonlinearity of strained silicon waveguides numerical simulations of edge induced strain gradients in these structures are presented and discussed.