Open AccessDistributed backscattering in production O-band Si nanophotonic waveguides
Author(s) -
Bo Peng,
J.J. Rosenberg,
Wesley D. Sacher,
Asger Sellerup Jensen,
Marwan Khater,
William M. J. Green,
Tymon Barwicz
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Italian
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.25.023477
Subject(s) - optics , nanophotonics , materials science , cladding (metalworking) , waveguide , photonics , silicon , silicon photonics , optoelectronics , polarization (electrochemistry) , physics , chemistry , metallurgy
Backscattering in integrated photonic waveguides can significantly impact the performance of optical systems. However, it has not been extensively studied in the literature and measurements on waveguides fabricated in production foundry processes are particularly lacking in view of their importance to technology. Here we experimentally measure and analyze distributed backscattering in various production O-band silicon photonic waveguides. We find the measured backscattering to scale from -18 to -36 dB/mm. Measured trends across waveguide geometry and polarization are consistent with stochastic defects on waveguide sidewalls being the dominant source of distributed backscattering in production Si waveguides. For production SiN x waveguides, both sidewall and cladding defects need to be considered to fit measured trends.