Confinement Specific Design of SOI Rib Waveguides with Submicron Dimensions and Single Mode Operation

TL;DR

This paper uses a full-vectorial finite difference method to identify the single mode operation region of submicron SOI rib waveguides, emphasizing high mode confinement while maintaining single mode operation.

Contribution

It provides a detailed theoretical analysis of single mode conditions for submicron SOI rib waveguides, including both deeply and shallowly etched designs, with high accuracy.

Findings

Single mode conditions hold for sub-micron waveguides with near 100% accuracy.

Theoretical analysis covers entire sub-micrometer range for various etching depths.

Design guidelines for high confinement and single mode operation are established.

Abstract

Full-vectorial finite difference method with perfectly matched layers boundaries is used to identify the single mode operation region of submicron rib waveguides fabricated using sili-con-on-insulator material system. Achieving high mode power confinement factors is emphasized while maintaining the single mode operation. As opposed to the case of large cross-section rib waveguides, theoretical single mode conditions have been demonstrated to hold for sub-micron waveguides with accuracy approaching 100%. Both, the deeply and the shallowly etched rib waveguides have been considered and the single mode condition for entire sub-micrometer range is presented while adhering to design specific mode confinement requirements.