Vertical integration of high-Q silicon nitride microresonators into silicon-on-insulator platform

Opt Express. 2013 Jul 29;21(15):18236-48. doi: 10.1364/OE.21.018236.

Abstract

We demonstrate a vertical integration of high-Q silicon nitride microresonators into the silicon-on-insulator platform for applications at the telecommunication wavelengths. Low-loss silicon nitride films with a thickness of 400 nm are successfully grown, enabling compact silicon nitride microresonators with ultra-high intrinsic Qs (~ 6 × 10(6) for 60 μm radius and ~ 2 × 10(7) for 240 μm radius). The coupling between the silicon nitride microresonator and the underneath silicon waveguide is based on evanescent coupling with silicon dioxide as buffer. Selective coupling to a desired radial mode of the silicon nitride microresonator is also achievable using a pulley coupling scheme. In this work, a 60-μm-radius silicon nitride microresonator has been successfully integrated into the silicon-on-insulator platform, showing a single-mode operation with an intrinsic Q of 2 × 10(6).

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems / instrumentation*
  • Miniaturization
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Silicon Compounds / chemistry*
  • Silicon Compounds / radiation effects*
  • Telecommunications / instrumentation*
  • Transducers*

Substances

  • Silicon Compounds
  • silicon nitride
  • Silicon