Low propagation loss AlGaAs waveguides fabricated with plasma-assisted photoresist reflow

Abstract

We report low-loss deep-etch AlGaAs optical waveguides fabricated with nitrogen plasma-assisted photoresist reflow. The simultaneous application of a nitrogen plasma and heat is used to reduce the line edge roughness of patterned photoresist and limit the lateral spread of the photoresist patterns of submicron-scale waveguides. Comparison of the edge roughness of the etched sidewalls between the as-developed and smoothed photoresist etch samples show a reduction of the RMS roughness from 3.39±0.17 nm to 1.39±0.03 nm. The reduction in propagation loss is verified by measured waveguide loss as a function of waveguide widths. A 0.65-μm wide waveguide with a modal area of 0.4 μm(2) is fabricated with a propagation loss as low as 1.20±0.13 dB/cm for the transverse-electric mode.