Lower Cladding Research Articles

High-Speed (60 GHz) and Low-Voltage-Driving Electroabsorption Modulator Using Two-Consecutive-Steps Selective-Undercut-Wet-Etching Waveguide

Based on a novel structure of waveguide, a broadband electroabsorption modulator (EAM) with low driving voltage and high extinction ratio has been demonstrated in this letter. The waveguide of InGaAsP-InP p-i-n layer structure is fabricated by two consecutive steps of selective undercut-wet-etching: 1)HCl : H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> PO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4</sub> on p-InP (p- layer), and 2)H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> PO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4</sub> : H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> : H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O on InGaAsP (active region), showing a wide ridge with a narrow undercut active region. Low capacitance and low cladding impedance can thus be simultaneously attained in such waveguides, leading to low microwave loss and high-speed electrooptical (EO) response. A ridge as wide as 8 mum with a 3-mum- wide active region and a 450-nm gap height in the undercut portion has been fabricated. A 350- mum -long waveguide of EAM is designed, revealing a high extinction ratio of > 30 dB (D.C.) and a modulation efficiency of > 20 dB/V (D.C.) with polarization-insensitive operation at a wavelength of 1550 nm. As high as 60 GHz of a 3-dB bandwidth is measured in the high-speed EO conversion. Calculations by an equivalent circuit model are quite fitted with the measurement, revealing that broadband performance is mainly attributed to the low microwave propagation loss in such waveguides.

Optical waveguide structure for an all-optical switch based on intersubband transitions in InGaAs/AlAsSb quantum wells

A vertical slab waveguide design for an all-optical switch based on intersubband transitions in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE)-grown coupled double InGaAs/AlAsSb quantum well (QW) structures is presented. We propose a waveguide with two surrounding high refractive index InGaAsP guiding layers, which confine the optical mode in the low refractive index QW region and thus enable light guiding with low contrast InP cladding layers. We investigate the proposed concept by means of 1D simulations of several waveguide configurations. We confirm its validity by fabricating deeply etched waveguiding structures using either wet- or dry-etching technologies. Optical losses as low as 13.5 dB cm(-1) and 12.8 dB cm(-1) were measured for TM- and TE-polarized light, respectively.

Microstructure characteristics of Ni-based WC composite coatings by laser induction hybrid rapid cladding

To avoid low cladding rate and cracks of cladding layer, laser induction hybrid rapid cladding (LIHRC) has been put forward in the paper. The microstructure characteristics of Ni-based WC composite coatings at the different laser scanning speed were investigated. For low laser scanning speed, the growth of γ-nickel was characterized by coarse columnar dendrites and eutectics, blocky W 2C + Fe 3W 3C carbides, and bar-like (W, Cr, Ni) 23C 6 carbides were formed. With increasing laser scanning speed, the growth of γ-nickel presented the fine dendrites and eutectics, the only blocky mixed carbides were precipitated and identified as W 2C + FeW 3C + W 6C 2.54 carbides. With further increasing laser scanning speed, the growth of γ-nickel was characterized by cellular crystals and eutectics, the only blocky carbides were identified as W 2C + W 6C 2.54. Moreover, experimental results showed that the efficiency of LIHRC was increased much four times higher than that of laser cladding without preheating, ceramic–metal composite coatings detected were free of cracks and had a good metallurgical bonding with substrate.

Temper-bead repair welding of neutron-irradiated reactor (pressure) vessels by low-heat-input TIG and YAG laser welding

Weldability in neutron-irradiated low alloy steel for reactor (pressure) vessel has been studied by temper-bead repair-welding of low-heat-input TIG and YAG laser welding. A low alloy steel and its weld, and stainless steel clad and nickel (Ni)-based alloy clad were irradiated in a materials test reactor (LVR-15, Czech Republic) up to 1.4 X 1024 n/m2 (>1 MeV) at 290°C, which approximately corresponds to the maximum neutron fluence of 60-year-operation plants' vessels. The He concentration in the irradiated specimens was estimated to be up to 12.9 appm. The repair-welding was carried out by TIG and YAG laser welding at a heat input from 0.06 to 0.86 MJ/m. The mechanical tests of tensile, impact, side bend and hardness were carried out after the repair-welding.Cracks were not observed in the irradiated low alloy steel and its weld by temper-bead repair-welding. Small porosities were formed in the first and second layers of the repair-welds of low alloy steel (base metal). However, only a few porosities were found in the repair-welds of the weld of low alloy steel. From the results of mechanical tests, the repair-welding could be done in the irradiated weld of low alloy steel containing a He concentration up to 12.9 appm, although repair-welding could be done in base metal of low alloy steel containing up to only 1.7 appmHe. On the other hand, cracks occurred in the heat affected zones of stainless steel and Ni-based alloy clads by repair-welding, except by YAG laser repair-welding at a heat input of 0.06 MJ/m in stainless steel clad containing 1.7 appmHe. Based on these results, the determination processes were proposed for optimum parameters of repair-welding of low alloy steel and clad used for reactor (pressure) vessel.

Erbium-doped hole-assisted lightguide fiber: structural study and optimization

Erbium-doped hole-assisted lightguide fiber (EDHALF) is composed of a high-index core doped with erbium, a low index cladding and a small number of air holes surrounding the core. The finite element method is applied for solving the modal field of the EDHALF. The numerical calculation methods of the cutoff wavelength and mode field diameter are described in detail. The modified average population inversion iteration method is proposed for calculating the gain and noise figure of erbium-doped fiber amplifiers. The effects of the air holes on EDHALFs' cutoff wavelengths, mode field diameters and the gain coefficients of fiber amplifiers are studied. It's found that decreasing the relative hole-to-core spacing can make the cutoff wavelength move to shorter wavelength and decrease the mode field diameter. When the relative size of air holes is relatively large, further enlarging it only slightly changes the cutoff wavelength, mode field diameter and the maximum of the gain coefficient. Finally, four structural parameters, namely the EDHALF-core radius, the refractive index difference between the core and cladding, the relative hole-to-core spacing and the relative size of air holes are optimized in terms of the design criteria, which take into account the cutoff wavelengths of fundamental mode and the second order mode, the gain and noise figure of fiber amplifiers and the splice loss between the EDHALF and the conventional single-mode fiber.

Nonlinear optical waveguides based on near-infrared intersubband transitions in GaN/AlN quantum wells

We present the design, fabrication, and characterization of III-nitride quantum-well waveguides optimized for nonlinear-optical switching via intersubband transitions. A dielectric structure consisting of an AlN lower cladding and a GaN cap layer allows minimizing the propagation losses while maintaining a large modal overlap with the quantum-well active layer. A strong nonlinear saturation of the intersubband absorption near 1.55 mum is demonstrated at record low input powers for these materials; in particular, a 3-dB saturation pulse energy of less than 10 pJ with 240-fs pulses is measured. Combined with the well established sub-picosecond recovery lifetimes of intersubband absorption in III-nitride quantum wells, these results are very promising for all-optical switching applications in future ultrafast fiber-optic communication networks.

Elastic strain relaxation in GaInAsP/InP membrane quantum wire structures

Strain distribution in GaInAsP/InP compressively strained membrane quantum wires (with low refractive index polymer cladding layers) fabricated by electron-beam lithography, reactive-ion etching and two-step epitaxial growth is theoretically calculated using finite element analysis. Results are compared with those of its conventional counterpart in which InP cladding layers are used. It is found that the etching away of the InP cladding layers in membrane structures causes a redistribution of elastic strain. The normal strain along the growth direction is the most affected component during this redistribution. We have also studied the effects of varying wire width, barrier tensile strain and other parameters on the strain relaxation. The effective bandgap in the presence of strain relaxation is also estimated. Results show that owing to the redistribution of strain, membrane structures exhibit an increase in the effective bandgap.

Demonstration of quasi-phase-matched nonreciprocal polarization rotation in III-V semiconductor waveguides incorporating magneto-optic upper claddings

The demonstration of quasi-phase-matched nonreciprocal polarization rotation in a waveguide comprising a conventional III-V semiconductor core and lower cladding is reported. The approach, which is achieved through the incorporation of a periodic upper cladding that alternates between magneto-optic and nonmagneto-optic media, overcomes many of the problems traditionally encountered when transferring the principles of free-space Faraday-effect optical isolators into waveguide geometries. An enhancement of polarization rotation many times greater than that achievable in the absence of phase matching is observed. Additionally, the technique facilitates an ability to select and/or manipulate individual modes from multimode waveguides.

中性子照射された原子炉（圧力）容器の低入熱TIG及びYAGレーザテンパービード法による補修溶接

Weldability in neutron-irradiated low alloy steel for reactor (pressure) vessel has been studied by temper-bead repair-welding of low-heat-input TIG and YAG laser welding. A low alloy steel and its weld, and stainless steel clad and nickel (Ni)-based alloy clad were irradiated in a materials test reactor (LVR-15, Czech Republic) up to 1.4 X 1024 n/m2 (>1 MeV) at 290°C, which approximately corresponds to the maximum neutron fluence of 60-year-operation plants' vessels. The He concentration in the irradiated specimens was estimated to be up to 12.9 appm. The repair-welding was carried out by TIG and YAG laser welding at a heat input from 0.06 to 0.86 MJ/m. The mechanical tests of tensile, impact, side bend and hardness were carried out after the repair-welding.Cracks were not observed in the irradiated low alloy steel and its weld by temper-bead repair-welding. Small porosities were formed in the first and second layers of the repair-welds of low alloy steel (base metal). However, only a few porosities were found in the repair-welds of the weld of low alloy steel. From the results of mechanical tests, the repair-welding could be done in the irradiated weld of low alloy steel containing a He concentration up to 12.9 appm, although repair-welding could be done in base metal of low alloy steel containing up to only 1.7 appmHe. On the other hand, cracks occurred in the heat affected zones of stainless steel and Ni-based alloy clads by repair-welding, except by YAG laser repair-welding at a heat input of 0.06 MJ/m in stainless steel clad containing 1.7 appmHe. Based on these results, the determination processes were proposed for optimum parameters of repair-welding of low alloy steel and clad used for reactor (pressure) vessel.

Photonic band structure and related properties of photonic crystal waveguides in nonlinear optical polymers with metallic cladding

We examined the photonic band structure of a photonic crystal (PC) slab waveguide formed out of a nonlinear optical (NLO) polymer with metallic cladding by angle-dependent optical reflectivity and generated a theoretical photonic band structure by three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain calculations. The observed band dispersions determined from resonant features between the in-plane photonic band modes and incident light agree well with the theoretical band structure. We performed numerical simulations of the field distributions and decay rates of the observed photonic band modes in the waveguide and found that the observed modes are well confined in the patterned core when metal cladding is used, and have a longer lifetime than when a low refractive-index dielectric cladding is used. These results indicate that we can design artificial optical dispersions of band modes with strong waveguide confinement using this NLO polymer PC waveguide with metallic cladding.

Laser Cladding of Austenitic Stainless Steel with Hardfacing Alloy Nickel Base

A nickel base alloy Colmonoy 6 was chosen as a candidate material for hard facing many components in the prototype fast breeder reactor. This alloy offers outstanding wear resistance and high hardness at elevated temperatures. Previous research using the gas tungsten arc welding process revealed that the hardness of the deposit is influenced by the dilution from the base metal up to a deposit thickness as high as 2.5 mm. The present study aims to control the level of dilution in the hard face deposits by carrying out deposition using a low heat input laser cladding process. The samples were characterised by macroscopic and metallographic examination, and microhardness measurements, SEM - EDAX and XRD analysis were used to determine their properties. The study demonstrated that by controlling laser cladding parameters, thin deposits with a low level of dilution can be laid on austenitic stainless steel substrate. Cracking of the deposit was minimised by controlling the heating and cooling rates.

Hybrid Integration of 1 × 12 Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Photodetector and Polyimide Waveguide Array

We report here a demonstration of hybrid integration of a 1 × 12 metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetector array and polyimide channel waveguides via 45° total-internal-reflection (TIR) micro-couplers. The two-layer polyimide waveguide array was constructed using Ultradel 9120D for the core and Ultradel 9020 for the lower cladding layer. The coupling loss and propagation loss of the waveguide are 0.2dB and 0.21 dB/cm, respectively. The cross talk of the adjacent channels is -32 dB. The MSM photodetector array was fabricated on a semi-insulated GaAs wafer. The photodetectors are integrated to operate in the conventional vertical illumination mode. We measured the external quantum-efficiency and 3 dB bandwidth of the integrated MSM photodetectors at 0.4 A/W and 2.648 GHz, respectively. The aggregate 3 dB bandwidth of the 12-channel integrated system is 32 GHz.

Low loss Photonic Crystal Cladding Waveguide with Large Photonic Band Gap

ABSTRACTLight propagation in a low index core (e.g. SiO2) is realized by a Photonic Band Gap (PBG) cladding waveguide structure with large dielectric index contrast layers (Si/Si3N4). The waveguide is fabricated with a CMOS compatible process. The measured loss for the asymmetric PBG cladding waveguide is about 0.5dB/cm for both polarizations at a wavelength of 1550nm. Potential applications include optical amplification when the SiO2 core is doped with optical active materials (e.g. Er).

Sensitivity Studies of the Effect of Cladding Degradation on TSPA Results

ABSTRACTThe Commercial Spent Nuclear Fuel (CSNF) cladding directly influences the dose by reducing the release rate of radionuclides compared to bare fuel. A cladding degradation model was introduced in the Total System Performance Assessment – Viability Assessment (TSPA-VA) and has evolved into the TSPA-SR (Sight Recommendation), Rev 00 and most recently the Supplemental Science and Performance Analyses (SSPA) models. TSPAs are large computer models that predict how the radionuclides might escape through the various barriers and migrate through the different geological regions and predict the dose to the critical population. The major components in the cladding degradation model are initial cladding failure, creep, stress corrosion cracking (SCC), localized corrosion, mechanical failures (due to seismic events and rock overburden) and cladding unzipping. In the bare fuel case, the dose is controlled by the failure rate of the waste packages (WPs), the solubility limits for certain radionuclides, and the rate of diffusion of the radionuclides through the cracks in the WPs. The cladding degradation model involves two steps, perforation followed by unzipping. Sensitivity studies have shown that cladding limits dose primarily by preventing dissolution of the UO2 fuel (when the cladding is not perforated). If all the cladding is assumed to be perforated and cladding unzipping occurs, the peak dose would be within 4% of that of bare fuel. The UO2 dissolution rate (the driving mechanism for cladding unzipping) is sufficiently rapid that assuming instant dissolution increases the dose by only 12% from the base case. In the current cladding degradation model, cladding accounts for a reduction in dose for the first 100,000 years of a factor of 16 when compared with bare fuel. This is because of the low initial cladding failure rate (2.1% including SCC and creep) and few failures from localized corrosion (late WP breach and limited water entering the WPs). Failure of the cladding by rock overburden accounts for an increasing trend in dose at times greater than 100,500 years. This mechanism increases the peak dose and delays the peak from approximately 200,000 to 300,000 years. In conclusion, the cladding degradation model, mostly through preventing water from contacting the UO2, reduces the dose predicted in the TSPA analysis.

Low Loss All-Silicon Single Mode Optical Waveguide with Small Cross-Section

The realization of single-mode rib waveguides in standard epitaxial silicon layer on lightly-doped silicon substrate, using ion-implantation to form the lower cladding, is reported. The waveguides were designed with a cross-section comparable in size to the mode-field-diameter of standard single-mode optical fiber, so reducing the fiberwaveguide coupling losses. Propagation losses of about 1.0 dB/cm, for λ = 1.3 μm, in the single mode regime, have been measured. Numerical evaluation of the theoretical attenuation and the transverse optical field profiles has been performed, both for λ = 1.3 μm and λ = 1.55 μm. The proposed technique is low-cost, fully compatible with standard very large scale integration (VLSI) processes.

A highly sensitive long period grating based tunable filter using a unique double-cladding layer structure

In this paper, we present a highly sensitive long period grating (LPG) with a unique double-cladding layer structure including an ultra-thin inner silica cladding layer and a low refractive index liquid crystal outer cladding layer. By using an ultra-thin cladding layer (28 μm in diameter) reduced by chemical etching, the LPG has a single resonant band over a wide range of wavelength and higher sensitivity to the environmental refractive index change. In addition, the high thermal-optic effect of liquid crystal makes it very easy to tune the resonant wavelength by controlling the temperature of the liquid crystal. Thus, a highly sensitive tunable filter can be made. The experimental results show that a tuning efficiency of 2.1 nm/°C is achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest tuning efficiency ever reported.

Vertically tapered polymer waveguide mode size transformer for improved fiber coupling

We describe a novel vertical taper structure fabricated at the ends of polymer optical waveguide devices to improve the coupling be- tween channel waveguides and single mode fibers. The taper smoothly converts a highly elliptical waveguide mode into a large and more circu- lar mode for low loss coupling and relaxed fiber alignment tolerances. A vertical taper 0.5 to 2 mm in length is made in the upper cladding to reduce its thickness from a few micrometers to zero. The taper is sub- sequently covered by an upper cladding. The new upper cladding has an index higher than that of the previous upper cladding but slightly lower than that of waveguide core. In the taper, the channel waveguide mode gradually loses confinement by the upper cladding so that the mode size grows larger as light propagates toward the end of the device, whereas the confinement by the lower cladding and the lateral confinement are not significantly affected. The waveguide mode grows upward away from the lossy ground electrode and substrate commonly found in many poly- mer devices; therefore, no trade-off between mode size and propagation loss is involved. Two special but simple reactive ion etching techniques, shadow masked etching and etching with a tapered photoresist mask, are developed to make the vertical taper. Mode expansion and a 1.8 dB reduction in coupling loss per tapered end are demonstrated experimen- tally. The performance of the mode size transformer is found to be in- sensitive to both waveguide width and polarization. © 2000 Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(00)01206-X)

Relative electrical resistivities and poling of nonlinear optical polymeric waveguides

A method based on Maker fringe measurements of nonlinear optical coefficients has been used to determine the relative dc electrical resistivities of a series of linear and nonlinear optical polymers. The method can be used to identify low resistivity linear cladding materials for optimized electric field poling of nonlinear optical polymeric waveguides. As an example of the application of the technique we have studied the resistivity of poly(methyl methacrylate)-polystyrene (PMMA-PS) copolymers with varying content of the two components. The resistivity of PMMA was found to be one order of magnitude lower than that of PS.

Epitaxial Ferroelectric BaTiO3 Thin Films for Microphotonic Applications

AbstractEpitaxial ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin films have been developed as a material for microphotonics. Efforts have been directed toward developing these materials for thin film electro-optic modulators. Films were deposited by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on both MgO and silicon substrates. The electro-optic properties of the thin films were measured. For BaTiO3 thin films grown on (100) MgO substrates, the effective electro-optic coefficient, reff depended on the magnitude and direction of the electric field. Coefficients as high as 260 pm/V have been measured. Investigation of BaTiO3 films on silicon has been undertaken. Epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films were deposited by MOCVD on (100) MgO layers grown on silicon (100) substrates by metal-organic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE). The MgO serves as the low index optical cladding layer as well as an insulating layer. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that BaTiO3 was epitaxial with an orientational relation given by BaTiO3 (100)//Si (100) and BaTiO3[011]//Si [011]. Polarization measurements indicated that the BaTiO3 epitaxial films on Si were in the ferroelectric state.

Silicon-on-silicon rib waveguides with a high-confining ion-implanted lower cladding

The realization of single-mode rib waveguides in standard epitaxial silicon layer on lightly doped silicon substrate, using ion implantation to form the lower cladding, is reported. The implanted buffer layer enhances' the vertical confinement and improves the propagation characteristics. Respect to similar standard all-silicon waveguides a propagation loss reduction of about 7 dB/cm, in the single-mode regime, has been measured. A numerical analysis has been performed to evaluate the theoretical attenuation and the transverse optical field profiles. As a result of the presence of the ion implanted buffer layer, an increase of the fundamental mode confinement factor from 0.3 to 0.85 has been calculated. This results in a great enhancement of the coupling efficiency with standard single-mode optical fibers. Moreover, the proposed technique is low cost, fully compatible with standard VLSI processes, and allows a great flexibility in the integration of guided-wave devices and electronic circuits. Finally, the very high thermal conductivity characterizing these waveguides makes them attractive host-structures for electrically and thermally controlled active optical devices.