Simulation of silicon ridge waveguide enhanced two-photon absorption from femtosecond pulses

TL;DR

This paper simulates how silicon ridge waveguides can enhance two-photon absorption of femtosecond pulses through mode confinement, providing insights into nonlinear optical interactions in integrated photonics.

Contribution

The study demonstrates the field enhancement of two-photon absorption in silicon ridge waveguides using 2D FDTD simulations, highlighting the effects of waveguide geometry and mode confinement.

Findings

Enhanced energy absorption due to mode confinement

Significant two-photon absorption at femtosecond pulse wavelengths

Simulation results inform design of nonlinear silicon photonic devices

Abstract

Field enhancement of two-photon absorption from a 50-fs pulse on a silicon ridge waveguide is simulated for a varying energy downward propagating 800+/-9.42 nm wavelength plane-wave orthonormal to a waveguide in 2D FDTD using ANSYS Lumerical FDTD. Energy absorbed by the waveguide is enhanced due to mode confinement within the standard 500 nm width, 130 nm height silicon ridge waveguide on 90 nm thick silicon and 3 {\mu}m silicon dioxide insulator.