Background technology
LN photon line (that is lithium niobate fiber waveguide)
[1-8]Becoming the candidate that following integrated photon is learned, this be since it to have a dimensional structure little, good electricity-light, sound-light, reach nonlinear optical properties
[9], be subject to rare earth element ion and mix and obtain the laser active material
[10], highly-efficient equipment likely especially (even also possibly realize in appropriate optical power value).Obviously, based on the optical directional coupler of LN photon line be a critical component of the integrated optical circuit that constitutes by the LN photon line.Yet,, up to the present, still have nothing to do in correlative study report based on the optical directional coupler of LN photon line according to the data-searching that the applicant carried out.
Below be the pertinent literature that the inventor retrieves:
【1】P.Rabiei,and?W.H.Steier,“Lithium?niobate?ridge?waveguides?andmodulators?fabricated?using?smart?guide,”Appl.Phys.Lett.Vol.86,no.16,pp.161115-161118,Apr?2005。
【2】D.Djukic,G.Cerda-Pons,R.M.Roth,R.M.Osgood,Jr.,S.Bakhru,andH.Bakhru,“Electro-optically?tunable?second-harmonic-generation?gratings?inion-exfoliated?thin?films?of?periodically?poled?lithium?niobate,”Appl.Phys.Lett.Vol.90,no.17,pp.171116-171119,April?2007。
【3】A.Guarino,G.Poberaj,D.Rezzonico,R.Degl’innocenti,and
“Electro-optically?tumable?microring?resonators?in?lithium?niobate,”Nat.PhotonicsVol.1,no.7,pp.407-410,May?2007。
【4】F.Schrempel,T.Gischkat,H.Hartung,
E.B.Kley,A.
and?W.Wesch,“Ultrathin?membranes?in?x-cut?lithium?niobate,”Opt.Lett.Vol.34,no.9,pp.1426-1428,April?2009。
【5】T.Takaoka,M.Fujimura,and?T.Suhara,“Fabrication?of?ridge?waveguidesin?LiNbO3?thin?film?crystal?by?proton-exchange?accelerated?etching,”Electron.Lett.Vol.45,no.18,pp.940-941(2009)。
【6】G.Poberaj,M.Koechlin,F.Sulser,A.Guarino,J.Hajfler,and
“lon-sliced?lithium?niobate?thin?films?for?active?photonic?devices,”Opt.Mater.Vol.31,no.7,pp.1054-1058(2009)。
【7】G.W.Burr,S.Diziain,and?M.-P.Bernal,“Theoretical?study?of?lithium?niobateslab?waveguides?for?integrated?optics?applications,”Opt.Mater.Vol.31,no.10,pp.1492-1497(2009)。
【8】H.Hu,R.Ricken,and?W.Sohler,“Lithium?niobate?photonic?wires,”Opt.Express,Vol.17,no.26,pp.2426-242681,December?2009。
【9】R.S.Weis,and?T.K.Gaylord,“Lithium?niobate:summary?of?physicalproperties?and?crystal?structure,”Appl.Phys.,A?Mater.Sci.Process.Vol.37,no.4,pp.191-203,March?1985。
【10】W.Sohler,B.Das,D.Dey,S.Reza,H.Suche,and?R.Ricken,“Erbium-dopedlithium?niobate?waveguides?lasers,”in?2005?IEICE?Trans.Electron.E88(C),pp.990-997。
【11】H.Hu,R.Ricken,and?W.Sohler,Large?area,crystal-bonded?LiNbO3?thinfilms?and?ridge?waveguides?of?high?refractive?index?contrast,Topical?Meeting“Photorefractive?Materials,Effects,and?Devices-Control?of?Light?and?Matter”(PR09),Bad?Honnef,Germany?2009。On?the?poster,presented?to?PR?09,a?photographof?a?3inch?LNOI?wafer?was?shown.A?manuscript?to?describe?the?LNOI-technologydeveloped?is?in?preparation。
Summary of the invention
The objective of the invention is to, proposed a kind of optical directional coupler based on the LN photon line, this directional coupler can be used to the high integration light path based on the lithium niobate photon line.
In order to realize above-mentioned task.The present invention takes following technical solution to be achieved:
A kind of optical directional coupler based on the LN photon line; It is characterized in that; By at the bottom of the lithium niobate base, the LN waveguide of silicon dioxide coating and parallel symmetry forms, wherein, the height of LN waveguide is 0.73 μ m; The top width of LN waveguide is 0.4 μ m~0.55 μ m, and the centre distance of waveguide is 0.6 μ m~0.9 μ m.
The preparation method of above-mentioned optical directional coupler based on the LN photon line; It is characterized in that; This method is at first made the lithium niobate sample (being abbreviated as LNOI) based on insulator; LNOI comprises the monocrystalline LN layer (being the LN film) of 730 nanometer thickness on silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer that directly is attached on 1.3 micron thick; Silicon dioxide layer is to cut the Z face at the bottom of the lithium niobate base through the Z that is coated in congruence with the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method, and promptly LN film and thickness are that the LN substrate of 0.5mm has congruent crystal orientation; After handling with CMP process (CMP), the surface of LN film reaches the rms roughness of 0.5 nanometer; Photoresistance band then that 1.7 μ m are thick and that 0.5 μ m is wide is used as etch mask.Photoresistance through 1 hour annealing, is followed, in Oxford Plasmalab System100 under 120 ℃; Being coupled inductively with the 100W radio-frequency power becomes plasma and the 70W radio-frequency power is coupled to sample surface, mills etching through 60 minutes argons; The end face polishing promptly gets.
Optical directional coupler based on the LN photon line of the present invention, the technique effect that is brought is:
1, under duct width w=0.5 μ m and operation wavelength λ=1.55 μ m conditions, (is fit to transmission standard-TE (qTE) and standard-TM (qTM) single mode), the coupling length L of directional coupler
cDistance between axles S with two parallel optical waveguides that constitute this directional coupler
cBetween relation curve.
2, at the distance between axles S of two parallel optical waveguides that constitute this directional coupler
cUnder the condition of=0.8 μ m and operation wavelength λ=1.55 μ m, the coupling length L of directional coupler
cAnd constitute the relation curve between the single optical waveguide width w (be fit to transmission standard-TE (qTE) and standard-TM (qTM) single mode) of this directional coupler.
3, at coupling length L
c=5.8 μ m, under the condition of operation wavelength λ=1.55 μ m and optical waveguide width w=0.5 μ m, the string noise of directional coupler and the relation curve of optical wavelength.
4, provided manufacture craft.
Through applicant's emulation and analytical proof, should can be used to high integration light path based on the optical directional coupler of LN photon line based on the lithium niobate photon line.
Embodiment
1, simulation result and analysis
The optical directional coupler structure that present embodiment provides based on the LN photon line, as shown in Figure 1, it by lithium niobate base at the bottom of, the lithium niobate waveguide of silicon dioxide coating and parallel symmetry forms.
The waveguide parameter that is suitable for this directional coupler is: the refractive index n of LN waveguide
LN=2.2; SiO
2The refractive index n in zone
SiO2=1.44; The height h=0.73 μ m of waveguide, top width w=0.4~0.55 μ m so select to guarantee to realize single mode transport.Constitute the distance between axles S of two parallel optical waveguides (being photon line) of this directional coupler
cSpan be 0.6 μ m~0.9 μ m.Operation wavelength λ=1.55 μ m, SiO
2The bottom surface of layer is connected LN waveguide (being the LN photon line) and SiO with the Z-face that Z-cuts the LN substrate
2Layer end face is connected, and LN substrate and LN photon line have the crystal orientation of omnidirectional.
Utilize Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method business software Optiwave FDTD that structure shown in Figure 1 has been carried out emulation and analysis.(to guarantee single mode transport) calculates respectively when the waveguide interval S under the condition of fixing w=0.5 μ m
cWhen in the scope of 0.6 μ m~0.9 μ m, changing, the coupling length L of corresponding accurate TE mould (be designated as quasi-TE, or qTE) and accurate TM mould (be designated as quasi-TM, or qTM)
c, obtain L through data fitting again
c~S
cRelation curve, as shown in Figure 2.
Fig. 3 is illustrated in input end and is respectively under qTE and the excitation of qTM mould, x-y cross section index distribution and main Electric Field Distribution.
The key property that Fig. 2 showed is: the coupling length L of (1) qTM mould single mode
cCoupling length L greater than qTE mould single mode
c, this is because for the qTE mould, electric field is main along distributing along the x direction; And for the qTM mould; Electric field mainly distributes along the y direction, and is as shown in Figure 3, like this; The coupling that must cause the qTE mould than the coupling of qTM mould come fast, so the coupling length of qTE mould is shorter than the coupling length of qTM mould naturally.Yet, under few cases, there is adverse consequences to take place, promptly the coupling length of qTE mould is longer than the coupling length of qTM mould.This be because, no matter for qTE mould or qTM mould, L
cFor S
cRelation all relevant with sine function, will cause the coupling length L of two kinds of patterns thus inevitably
cCan periodically alternately change.(2) although general trend is coupling length L
cWith the waveguide interval S
cIncrease and increase, yet, at S
cSome zone in, L
cBut remain unchanged.The reason that causes this phenomenon still remains further to be inquired into.(3) especially, work as S
cWhen within 0.6 μ m~0.71 μ m, changing, the coupling length of the coupling length of qTE mould single mode and qTM mould single mode does not only change, and both values almost keep equal.This be because, at S
cThis span in, two parallel LN optical waveguides almost are combined into a new single waveguide, the present invention utilizes this characteristic just, has designed and the optical directional coupler structure based on the LN photon line that polarization is irrelevant.
In order to obtain to be fit to the coupling length L of qTE mould single mode and qTM mould single mode
cAnd the relation between the single LN photon line width w is at fixing S
c=0.8 μ m, duct height h=0.73 μ m, SiO
2Layer thickness=1.3 μ m under the condition of LN substrate thickness=0.5mm and operation wavelength λ=1.55 μ m, makes W change to 0.55 μ m by 0.4 μ m, with the characteristic of business software FDTD design and this structure of emulation, and extracts corresponding coupling length L
cParameter, Fig. 4 is the L that match obtains according to above-mentioned parameter
cCurve with the w variation.
By Fig. 4 and combine Fig. 3 visible, (1) is fit to the coupling length L of qTM mould single mode
cGreater than the coupling length L that is fit to qTE mould single mode
c, this is because for the qTE mould, electric field mainly distributes along the x direction; And for the qTM mould; Electric field mainly distributes along the y direction, and is as shown in Figure 3, like this; The coupling that must cause the qTE mould than the coupling of qTM mould come fast, so the coupling length of qTE mould is shorter than the coupling length of qTM mould naturally.Yet, under few cases, there is adverse consequences to take place, promptly the coupling length of qTE mould is longer than the coupling length of qTM mould.This be because, no matter for qTE mould or qTM mould, L
cFor S
cRelation all relevant with sine function, will cause the coupling length L of two kinds of patterns thus inevitably
cCan alternately change in some way.(2), there is not the polarization of qTE mould single mode, and the polarization of qTM mould single mode is only arranged at w=0.4 μ m.Have only when about w=0.405 μ m, just allow to occur the polarization of qTE mould single mode; (3) coupling length L
cBe tending towards changing with w, yet, in some span of w, L
cDo not change, cause that this phenomenon reason is still waiting further discussion with w.
Visible by Fig. 2 and Fig. 4, obviously,, to a certain extent, have good opposing because the structural parameters S that ambient temperature or pressure cause based on the optical directional coupler of this structure
cThereby variation causes coupling length L with w
cThe characteristic that changes.
Consider, at S
cWhen changing (operation wavelength λ=1.55 μ m) to the scope of about 0.71 μ m, be fit to the coupling length of qTE mould single mode and the coupling length L of suitable qTM mould single mode by 0.6 μ m
cAlmost reach unanimity, like this, just making almost becomes possibility with the irrelevant design and development based on the optical directional coupler of LN photon line of polarization.For this reason, the string noise that also need know this directional coupler is with the operation wavelength distribution character.Fig. 5 shown and utilizes that business software FDTD calculates and the string noise irrelevant LN photon line directional coupler of polarization with operation wavelength variation characteristic curve, with other parameter of this curvilinear correlation is: S
c=0.7 μ m, w=0.5 μ m, h=73 μ m, SiO
2Layer thickness=1.3 μ m, LN substrate thickness=0.5mm, propagation distance=5.8 μ m (i.e. coupling length L when operation wavelength λ=1.55 μ m
c), at this, the string noise defines as follows:
10lg(P
2/P
1)
In the following formula, P
1And P
2Represent luminous power respectively, shown in figure .6 at input end and output terminal.P
1And P
2Optiwave FDTD business software capable of using is obtained, and Fig. 6 is also shown under 0.5h (the i.e. 0.35 μ m) condition, the index distribution of model.
The string noise of known Fig. 5 demonstration and the irrelevant LN photon line directional coupler of polarization is with operation wavelength variation characteristic curve.Figure is visible thus, and the string noise is lower than-and the bandwidth of 13dB is approximately 27nm (for qTE mould single mode) and about 21nm (for qTM mould single mode).
2, manufacture craft
In order to make lithium niobate (LN) photon line directional coupler, must make lithium niobate sample LNOI (shown in Fig. 7 (a)) earlier based on insulator.This sample has comprised the silicon dioxide (SiO that directly is attached on 1.3 micron thick
2) the monocrystalline LN layer (LN film) of 730 nanometer thickness on the layer, SiO
2Layer is to cut the Z face of (thickness is 0.5mm) at the bottom of the lithium niobate base through the Z that is coated in congruence with plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method, and promptly LN film and thickness are that the LN substrate of 0.5mm has congruent crystal orientation; The surface of LN film must be with the rms roughness that reaches 0.5 nanometer after chemically mechanical polishing (CMP) PROCESS FOR TREATMENT.
Because refractive index differs big (n
LN=2.2, n
SiO=1.44), the LNOI sample is the slab guide with very strong leaded light performance, therefore is well suited for being used for making the lithium niobate photon line.
Photoetching technique requires: photoresistance (OIR 907-17) band 1.7 μ m are thick and that 0.5 μ m is wide is used as etch mask.In order to improve the selectivity of mask, photoresistance under 120 ℃ through 1 hour annealing.Then, in Oxford PlasmalabSystem100, being coupled inductively with the 100W radio-frequency power becomes plasma (ICP) and the 70W radio-frequency power is coupled to sample surface, and the sample after so handling mills etching, result such as Fig. 7 (b) through 60 minutes argons.
At last, with the end face process polishing meticulously of sample, thereby realize end-fire optically-coupled efficiently.
3, conclusion
The present invention has proposed the ultra-compact optical directional coupler based on the LN photon line first; Coupling length and the relation curve of two parallel optical waveguide distance between axles of this coupling mechanism that utilized the emulation of OptiveFDTD business software; The relation curve of coupling length and LN duct width; The relation curve of string noise and operation wavelength, and provided manufacture craft.The characteristics that this optical directional coupler not only has ultra-compact structure and has nothing to do with polarization, but also have opposing external environment condition and the change of pressure variation causing structural parameters, thus the advantage that causes coupling length to change.
The present invention has received grant of national natural science foundation (fund numbering: 61040064).