A Universal Heterostructure for Photonic Integrated Circuit Applications

The issues involved in using a "universal heterostructure" technology for the fabrication of integrated waveguide photonic circuits are investigated using an optical 2 x 2 crossbar switch as a case study. The optical characteristics of slab waveguides are investigated as candidate "universal" structures. Different core profiles, core sizes, and cladding arrangements are considered. A reverse-biased laser heterostructure is demonstrated to be a viable integrated modulator. Local widening of the optical band gap for modulators and passive guides by vacancy-induced layer disordering (VILD) is shown to be an essential integration process. A wet-etched ridge technology for lateral waveguide formation is adopted after the usefulness of impurity-induced layer disordering (IILD) is shown to be limited, especially for large core waveguide structures. The routing characteristics of wet-etched large and small core waveguide structures are shown to be similar to the best IILD formed waveguides. Finally, a system representation for analyzing the performance of a blocking 2 x 2 crossbar switch is developed and used in conjunction with the experimentally measured performance of a gain-modulated device.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

1993

Author dc:creator

• Herzinger, Craig Matthew

Contributors dc:contributor

• DeTemple, T.A.,

• Engineering, Electronics and Electrical

Identifier

(UMI)AAI9329056

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/72001