Waveguide-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (WERS) efficiently collects Stokes-shifted scattering from target molecules in the evanescent field surrounding nanophotonic waveguides. By using a sorbent material as a top cladding, vapor phase analytes can be detected and identified at ambient densities as low as a few parts-per-billion. Previous demonstrations of vapor-phase WERS have used free-space optical components, such as microscope objectives and bulk Raman filters, to couple and filter light to and from the sorbent-clad waveguide. In this work we demonstrate a complete photonic integrated circuit (PIC) assembly that is packaged and fiber-coupled enabling us to measure WERS from trace vapor concentrations. The PIC comprises low-loss edge couplers from polarization maintaining single-mode optical fibers, sensing trenches with a sorbent top-cladding, and lattice filters for separation of the Stokes signal from the laser. The PICs are fabricated at AIM Photonics using the Silicon Nitride Passive PIC process with the TLX-VIS component library. Then, they are packaged into assemblies with permanent fiber-attach using fiber arrays. The sorbent is deposited in a thin, uniform layer in the sensing trench using one of two deposition techniques: nano-plotting and drip-coating. A laser wavelength of 785 nm enables the use of a compact spectrometer with a thermoelectrically-cooled silicon detector. Spectra are obtained with exposure times of a few seconds and show parts-per-billion detection limits for select vapors. This work successfully demonstrates the use of a compact Raman spectrometer integrated with a fully assembled PIC via optical fibers for the detection of low-density vapor-phase analytes.
Silicon-nitride-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs) can operate with low loss at visible and near-infrared wavelengths. This spectral range is essential for many applications in chemical and biological sensing, quantum sensing and networking, physical sensing, precision timekeeping, and augmented/virtual reality. At present, highquality silicon nitride PIC platforms optimized for operation in the visible are offered by low-volume custom foundries or by 200 mm silicon-based foundries. Both typically lack the minimum feature sizes and wafer throughput required for high-yield, high-volume operation at short wavelengths. In this work we describe a new component library and foundry process developed at AIM Photonics, a state-of-the-art PIC foundry. The TLX-VIS component library for the Silicon Nitride Passive PIC process is designed to operate in three bands at wavelengths from 500 nm to 1000 nm. A trench down to the primary waveguide layer is offered for sensing applications, and a dicing trench enables access to waveguide facets for low loss edge coupling. Propagation losses range from 0.2 dB/cm at 785 nm to 2 dB/cm at 532 nm. The component library is designed for both the TE00 and TM00 modes and includes broadband directional couplers, polarization rotators, edge and grating couplers, lattice filters, and high-Q ring resonators. The waveguides have small minimum bend radii (<100 μm) and low fluorescence, which is critical for applications in Raman sensing and quantum information. The component library and PICs are compatible with AIM Photonics’ Test, Assembly, and Packaging facility, enabling fully-packaged, fiber-attached assemblies.
Silicon nitride (SiN) has been receiving increased attention for photonic integrated circuits (PICs) due to its ultra-low optical losses, phase stability, and broadband transparency. However, SiN waveguides have a low thermo-optic coefficient and exhibit weak electro-optic effects. For this reason, most foundry-processed SiN PICs remain passive or exhibit inefficient tuning. In this work, we investigate polymer claddings to enhance the thermo-optic phase shifting in foundry-processed low-loss, thin core SiN PICs. We first develop a thermal testing setup and measure the response of standard foundry SiN / SiO2 waveguides. By taking advantage of the differing TE and TM modal overlap with the SiN core and SiO2 cladding, we extract the LPCVD-SiN thermo-optic coefficient as dnSiN / dT = 2.57 × 10 − 5 / ° C at λ = 1550 nm and dnSiN / dT = 2.82 × 10 − 5 / ° C at λ = 780 nm. We next consider SiN waveguides in which the top SiO2 cladding is replaced with a spin-coated thermo-optic polymer. The thin waveguide core (tSiN = 150 to 220 nm) enables a weakly confined mode with a large overlap with the top polymer cladding. Measurements at λ = 780 nm wavelength show up to a 12-fold improvement in the thermo-optic phase shift of these polymer-cladded SiN waveguides compared with SiO2 cladded devices while inducing negligible excess loss. Finally, we show broadband Mach–Zehnder interferometer measurements demonstrating thermo-optic tuning at visible wavelengths. The simple spin-coat post-processing of foundry SiN PICs in this work offers a potential path toward efficient optical phase shifting in low-loss SiN waveguides over a broad wavelength range
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