ALD high- k layer grating couplers for single and double slot on-chip SOI photonics

State of the art grating couplers for horizontal single and double slot waveguides are presented; in these devices the input signal is transmitted from a single mode optical fiber to silicon on insulator slot waveguide. In the waveguides, atomic layer deposited (ALD) high-k dielectrics form the low refractive index slot. It is demonstrated that a fully etched design combined with precision of ALD result in highly reproducible devices with theoretical efficiency variations less than 1%. Devices have a peak calculated coupling efficiency of 24% at 1.55 mu m. In order to achieve an optimal design, optical properties of high-k films are studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Measured refractive indices show variations from reference values, originated from film variation in densities. Chips with a test slot material are fabricated and the optical efficiency of the couplers is characterized. The maximum measured coupling efficiency of the couplers is 18.5%. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.