Open AccessSubwavelength grating metamaterial waveguides functionalized with tellurium oxide cladding
Author(s) -
Cameron M. Naraine,
Jeremy Miller,
Henry C. Frankis,
David Hagan,
P. Mascher,
Jens H. Schmid,
Pavel Cheben,
Andrew P. Knights,
Jonathan D. B. Bradley
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.393729
Subject(s) - materials science , cladding (metalworking) , optics , metamaterial , optoelectronics , grating , tellurium , photonics , fabrication , sputter deposition , sputtering , thin film , nanotechnology , medicine , physics , alternative medicine , pathology , metallurgy
We report on the design, fabrication and characterization of subwavelength grating metamaterial waveguides coated with tellurium oxide. The structures are first fabricated using a standard CMOS compatible process on a silicon-on-insulator platform. Amorphous tellurium oxide top cladding material is then deposited via post-process RF magnetron sputtering. The photonic bandstructure is controlled by adjustment of the device geometry, opening a wide range of operating regimes, including subwavelength propagation, slow light and the photonic bandgap, for various wavelength bands within the 1550 nm telecommunications window. Propagation loss of 1.0 ± 0.1 dB/mm is reported for the tellurium oxide-cladded device, compared to 1.5 ± 0.1 dB/mm propagation loss reported for the silicon dioxide-cladded reference structure. This is the first time that a high-index (n > 2) oxide cladding has been demonstrated for subwavelength grating metamaterial waveguides, thus introducing a new material platform for on-chip integrated optics.