Reactive ion etching of tellurite and chalcogenide waveguides using hydrogen, methane, and argon

Journal Article · Sat Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.3528248· OSTI ID:22054017

Vu, K T; Madden, S J ^[1]

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1. Laser Physics Centre, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200 (Australia)

The authors report in detail on the reactive plasma etching properties of tellurium and demonstrate a high quality etching process using hydrogen, methane, and argon. Very low loss planar ridge waveguides are demonstrated. Optical losses in tellurium dioxide waveguides below 0.1 dB/cm in most of the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum and at 1550 nm have been achieved--the lowest ever reported by more than an order of magnitude and clearly suitable for planar integrated devices. The etch process is also shown to be suitable for chalcogenide glasses which may be of importance in applications such as phase change memory devices and nonlinear integrated optics.

• OSTI ID: 22054017
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films, Vol. 29, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Vacuum Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1553-1813
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ARGON
ETCHING
GLASS
HYDROGEN
MEMORY DEVICES
METHANE
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
NONLINEAR OPTICS
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
PLASMA
SPECTRA
TELLURIUM
WAVEGUIDES