Theoretical and experimental results of MMW plasma gratings in silicon quartz image guide technology

Abstract

The propagation characteristics of an optoelectronically induced plasma grating on a single moded silicon–quartz image guide are experimentally investigated at W-band frequencies and compared with theoretical results based on a transversal homogeneous plasma profile. Because of the long diffusion lengths of the silicon semiconductor considered, an optimum carrier density and, hence, an optimum optical power density is found which results in a maximum magnitude of plasma-induced grating reflection coefficient. To understand the behavior of the reflection coefficient versus charge carrier density, the variation of phase and attenuation constants as a function of carrier density in the dark and excited waveguide sections are investigated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1928–1932, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21835