Amorphous-silicon visible-light detector integrated in silicon nitride waveguides

Visible light integrated photonics is emerging as a promising technology for the realization of optical devices for applications in sensing, quantum information and communications, imaging and displays. Among the existing photonic platforms, high-index contrast silicon nitride (\(Si_{3}N_{4}\)) wave...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:arXiv.org 2022-02
Main Authors: De Vita, Christian, Toso, Fabio, Natale, Giovanni Pruiti, Klitis, Charalambos, Ferrari, Giorgio, Sorel, Marc, Melloni, Andrea, Morichetti, Francesco
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amorphous silicon
Broadband
Integrated circuits
Optical waveguides
Photoconductivity
Photonics
Quantum phenomena
Reconfiguration
Sensitivity
Silicon nitride
Time response
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Summary:Visible light integrated photonics is emerging as a promising technology for the realization of optical devices for applications in sensing, quantum information and communications, imaging and displays. Among the existing photonic platforms, high-index contrast silicon nitride (\(Si_{3}N_{4}\)) waveguides offer broadband transparency in the visible spectral range and a high scale of integration. As far as the complexity of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) increases, on-chip detectors are required to monitor their working point for reconfiguration and stabilization operations. In this work we present a compact in-line power monitor integrated in \(Si_{3}N_{4}\) waveguides that operates in the red-light wavelength range (660 nm). The proposed device exploits the photoconductivity of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) film employed as a coating layer of the optical waveguide. Experimental results show a responsivity of 30 mA/W, a sensitivity of -45 dBm and a sub-\({\mu}\)s time response. These features enable the use of the proposed photoconductor for high-sensitivity monitoring and control of visible-light \(Si_{3}N_{4}\) PICs.
ISSN:2331-8422