Waveguide Microring Resonator Research Articles

Subwavelength Grating Cascaded Microring Resonator Biochemical Sensors with Record-High Sensitivity.

Photonic integrated circuit biochemical and biomedical sensors show promising applications in medical diagnosis, food security, healthcare, and environmental monitoring. Silicon-on-insulator subwavelength grating waveguides and cascaded microring resonator structures enhance photon-analyte interaction, offering superior sensing performance (higher sensitivity with lower limit of detection and larger free spectral range) compared to traditional strip and slot waveguide microring resonator structures. In this study, we design, simulate, and experimentally demonstrate a novel and compact biochemical sensor integrating subwavelength grating cascaded microring resonators and multibox subwavelength grating straight waveguides on a silicon-on-insulator platform. We achieve a record-high refractive index sensitivity of 810 nm/RIU with a limit of detection value of 2.04 × 10-5 RIU. The measured concentration sensitivity for sodium chloride solutions is 1430 pm/% with a limit of detection of 0.04%. The free spectral range is 35.8 nm, and the measured Q factor is 1.9 × 103. By combining the advantages of cascaded microring resonators with those subwavelength gratings, our sensor offers unprecedented sensitivity for biochemical sensing applications, promising significant enhancements in healthcare diagnostics and environmental monitoring systems.

Envelope Spectrum of the Subwavelength Grating Slot Waveguide Microring Resonator for High-Sensitivity and Wide-Range Refractive Index Sensing Applications

Envelope Spectrum of the Subwavelength Grating Slot Waveguide Microring Resonator for High-Sensitivity and Wide-Range Refractive Index Sensing Applications

Integrating Vernier spectrum with Fano resonance for high sensitivity of an all-optical sensor

Vernier and Fano resonances are promising approaches for enhancing the sensitivity of an all-optical sensor. A theoretical analysis was performed to integrate a Fano-like resonance shape with a Vernier resonance by considering the presence of partially reflective end facets at a double microring resonator waveguide. The system was developed based on scattering matrix and optical transfer function. The all-pass racetrack microring resonator (ARMRR) and the double racetrack microring resonator (DRMRR) were compared with and without the end facet at the waveguide to analyze the dynamic change of the output resonance spectrum. The spectrum was analyzed based on the free spectral range and resonance pattern. The resonator systems were applied to a refractive index-based sensing protocol, which was operated by a resonance wavelength shift with a refractive index change. The sensitivity was optimized by varying the configuration parameters such as the radius of the ring, the distance between the end facet, and the coupling coefficients. Integrating Vernier spectrum with Fano resonance improved the sensitivity for ARMRR configuration by 5.16% and the sensitivity for DRMRR configuration by 6.31%. The recorded limit of detection (LOD) of the DRMRR was 3.30 × 10-5.

Pure circularly polarized light emission from waveguide microring resonators

Circularly polarized light plays a key role in many applications, including spectroscopy, microscopy, and control of atomic systems. Particularly in the latter, high polarization purity is often required. Integrated technologies for atomic control are progressing rapidly, but while integrated photonics can generate fields with pure linear polarization, integrated generation of highly pure circular polarization states has not been addressed. Here, we show that waveguide microring resonators, perturbed with azimuthal gratings and thereby emitting beams carrying optical orbital angular momentum, can generate radiated fields of high circular polarization purity. We achieve this in a passive device by taking advantage of symmetries of the structure and radiated modes, and directly utilizing both transverse and longitudinal field components of the guided modes. On the axis of emission and at the maximum intensity, we measure an average polarization impurity of 1.0×10−3 in relative intensity across the resonance FWHM and observe impurities below 10−4 in this range. This constitutes a significant improvement over the ∼10−2 impurity demonstrated in previous works on integrated devices. Photonic structures that allow high circular polarization purity may assist in realizing high-fidelity control and measurement in atomic quantum systems.

HYPHa project: a low-cost alternative for integrated photonics

In this paper, a brief introduction to the Hybrid sensor platforms of integrated photonic systems based on ceramic and polymer materials (HYPHa) is presented. The project's goal is to establish a collaborative effort of institutes specialized in integrated optics. The newly formed group of professionals will be founded on research groups' experience, collaboration, and devotion. We intend to develop a method for combining competencies and a universal material platform for integrated photonics, based on newly validated hybrid materials as part of the project. Silica compounds with additions including TiO2, SnO2, used as structural matrices, polymer coatings with dopants (active or protective layers), organic dyes, and active two-dimensional materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides, graphene hybrids, and boron nitride will be the foundation for these materials. Full Text: PDF ReferencesK. Rola, A. Zajac, M. Czajkowski, A. Szpecht, M. Zdonczyk, M. Smiglak, J. Cybinska, K. Komorowska, "Ionic liquids for active photonics components fabrication", Opt. Mater. 89, 106-111 (2019). CrossRef D. Kowal, K. Rola, J. Cybinska, M. Skorenski, A. Zajac, A. Szpecht, M. Smiglak, S. Drobczynski, K. Ciesiolkiewicz, K. Komorowska, "Fluorescent ionic liquid micro reservoirs fabricated by dual-step E-beam patterning", Mater. Res. Bull. 142, 111434 (2021). CrossRef T. Martynkien, J. Olszewski, M. Szpulak, G. Golojuch, W. Urbanczyk, T. Nasilowski, F. Berghmans, and H. Thienpont, "Experimental investigations of bending loss oscillations in large mode area photonic crystal fibers", Opt. Express 15, 13547-13556 (2007). CrossRef E. Środa, J. Olszewski, and W. Urbańczyk, "Reducing bend-induced loss and crosstalk in a two-mode ridge waveguide by steplike thickness structuring", Appl. Opt. 61, 1164-1170 (2022). CrossRef P. Karasinski, C. Tyszkiewicz, A. Domanowska, A. Michalewicz, J. Mazur, "Low loss, long time stable sol–gel derived silica–titania waveguide films", Mater. Lett. 143, 5-7 (2015). CrossRef P. Karasinski, C. Tyszkiewicz, A. Maciaga, I.V. Kityk, E. Gondek, "Two-component waveguide SiO2:TiO2 films fabricated by sol–gel technology for optoelectronic applications", J. of Mater. Sci.: Mater. Electron. 26, 2733-2736 (2015). CrossRef M.A. Butt, A. Kazmierczak, C. Tyszkiewicz, P. Karasinski, R. Piramidowicz, "Mode Sensitivity Exploration of Silica–Titania Waveguide for Refractive Index Sensing Applications", Sensors 21, 7452 (2021). CrossRef A. Kazmierczak, M. Slowikowski, K. Pavlov, M. Filipiak, M. Vervaeke, C. Tyszkiewicz, H. Ottevaere, R. Piramidowicz, P. Karasinski, "Efficient, low-cost optical coupling mechanism for TiO2-SiO2 sol-gel derived slab waveguide surface grating coupler sensors", Opt. Appl. 50, 539 (2020). CrossRef M.A. Butt, S.N. Khonina, N.L. Kazanskiy, "A highly sensitive design of subwavelength grating double-slot waveguide microring resonator", Laser Phys. Lett. 17, 076201 (2020). CrossRef N.L. Kazanskiy, M.A. Butt, S.N. Khonina, "Silicon photonic devices realized on refractive index engineered subwavelength grating waveguides-A review", Opt. Laser Technol. 138, 106863 (2021). CrossRef M.A. Butt, S.N. Khonina, N.L. Kazanskiy, "Recent advances in photonic crystal optical devices: A review", Opt. Laser Technol. 142, 107265 (2021). CrossRef L. Xu, Y. Wang, E. El-Fiky, D. Mao, A. Kumar, Z. Xing, Md. G. Saber, M. Jacques, D.V. Plant, "Compact Broadband Polarization Beam Splitter Based on Multimode Interference Coupler With Internal Photonic Crystal for the SOI Platform", J. Light. Technol. 37, 1231 (2019). CrossRef R. Marchetti, C. Lacava, A. Khokhar, X. Chen, I. Cristiani, D.J. Richardson, G. T. Reed, P. Petropoulos, P. Minzioni, "High-efficiency grating-couplers: demonstration of a new design strategy", Sci. Rep. 7, 16670 (2017). CrossRef

Implementation of Bragg reflection waveguide microring resonator for optical second-harmonic generation

We propose a microring resonator with Bragg reflection waveguide (BRW) capable of simultaneously establishing the quasi-phase-matching, Bragg, and resonance conditions to achieve optical second-harmonic generation (SHG). Using numerical simulations, we suggest a comprehensive design procedure for a monolithic AlGaAs BRW microring. Due to the sensitive nature of BRW-based devices to material and fabrication tolerances, precise thermo-optic tuning method is proposed. It is shown that the designed structure can be thermally tuned in such a way that by only 6 °C, it can be switched to adjacent working wavelengths. Furthermore, being able to design microrings with different radii on the same wafer for SHG investigation is another advantage of our proposed device.

Silicon subwavelength grating waveguides with high-index chalcogenide glass cladding.

Silicon subwavelength grating waveguides enable flexible design in integrated photonics through nano-scale refractive index engineering. Here, we explore the possibility of combining silicon subwavelength gratings waveguides with a high-index chalcogenide glass as a top cladding, thus modifying the waveguiding behavior and opening a new design axis for these structures. A detailed investigation of the heterogeneous SWG waveguide with high-index cladding is presented based on analytical and numerical simulations. We design, fabricate and characterize silicon subwavelength grating waveguide microring resonators with an As20S80 cladding. Thanks to As20S80 negative thermo-optic coefficient, we achieve near athermal behavior with a measured minimum thermally induced resonance shift of -1.54 pm/K, highlighting the potential of subwavelength grating waveguides for modal confinement engineering and to control light-matter interaction. We also show that the chalcogenide glass can be thermally reflowed to remove air gaps inside the cladding, resulting in a highly conformal structure. These types of waveguides can find application in reconfigurable photonics, nonlinear optics, metamaterials or slow light.

A highly sensitive design of subwavelength grating double-slot waveguide microring resonator

We presented a novel design of a microring resonator based on a subwavelength grating (SWG) double-slot waveguide (WG) due to its enhanced sensitivity. The paper is divided into two parts. In the first part, we studied and compared the modal characteristics of SWG ridge, single-slot and double-slot WGs. A large value of 0.78 for overlap intensity integration in the upper cladding for SWG double-slot WG is obtained which is a positive sign for designing highly sensitive devices. In the later section, the spectral characteristics of a ring resonator based on the above-mentioned WGs are modelled and spectral characteristics are analyzed. The results demonstrated the clear dominance of a SWG double-slot WG ring resonator over the remaining two WG schemes. At optimized sensor design, the best sensitivity of 840 nm RIU−1 is obtained. To the best of our knowledge, we believe that the sensitivity acquired in this paper is the highest compared to the previously reported values in the literature based on SWG silicon WG sensors.

Scalable controlled-not gate for linear optical quantum computing using microring resonators

We propose a scalable version of a KLM CNOT gate based upon integrated waveguide microring resonators (MRR), vs the original KLM-approach using beam splitters (BS). The core element of our CNOT gate is a nonlinear phase-shift gate (NLPSG) using three MRRs, which we examine in detail. We find an expanded parameter space for the NLPSG over that of the conventional version. Whereas in all prior proposals for bulk optical realizations of the NLPSG the optimal operating point is precisely a single zero dimensional manifold within the parameter space of the device, we find conditions for effective transmission amplitudes which define a set of one dimensional manifolds in the parameters spaces of the MRRs. This allows for an unprecedented level flexibility in operation of the NLPSG that and allows for the fabrication of tunable MRR-based devices with high precision and low loss.

Research on the Disc Sensitive Structure of a Micro Optoelectromechanical System (MOEMS) Resonator Gyroscope.

A micro optoelectromechanical system (MOEMS) resonator gyroscope based on a waveguide micro-ring resonator was proposed. This sensor was operated by measuring the shift of the transmission spectrum. Modal analysis was carried out for the disc sensitive structure of the MOEMS resonator gyroscope (MOEMS-RG). We deduced the equations between the equivalent stiffness and voltage of each tuning electrode and the modal parameters. A comprehensive investigation of the influences of the structure parameters on the sensitivity noise of the MOEMS-RG is presented in this paper. The mechanical sensitivity and transducer sensitivities of the MOEMS-RG, with varying structural parameters, are calculated based on the finite-element method. Frequency response test and the fiber optic spectrometer displacement test were implemented to verify the reliability of the model. Research results indicate that the resonant frequencies of the operating modes are tested to be 5768.407 Hz and 5771.116 Hz and the resonant wavelength change ΔX was 0.08 nm for 45° rotation angle. The resonant wavelength, which has a good linear response in working range, changes from −0.071 nm to 0.080 μm. The MOEMS-RG, with an optimized disc sensitive structure, can detect the deformation of the sensitive membrane effectively, and has a high sensitivity. This resonator shows very large meff, low , and very high Q. Therefore, this resonator can provide a small (), which makes it a promising candidate for a low-cost, batch-fabricated, small size inertial-grade MOEMS gyroscope. The multi-objective optimization method could be expanded to include other objectives, constraints, or variables relevant to all kinds of gyroscopes or other microelectromechanical systems devices.

基于slot结构的反馈耦合波导微环谐振器

基于slot结构的反馈耦合波导微环谐振器

Highly sensitive refractive index sensor based on hybrid plasmonic waveguide microring resonator

A refractive index (RI) sensor based on straight silicon strip waveguide and a hybrid plasmonic microring resonator is presented. The hybrid waveguide is made up of a Metal-Air-Silicon structure, where the electric field is significantly enhanced in the narrow air gap. The transmission spectrum and electric field distribution of this sensor structure are simulated using Finite Element Method (FEM). Due to a large overlap of the optical field in the hybrid microring resonator and the sensing medium, this sensor can be used for both gas and bio sensing applications. The best sensitivity of 690 nm/RIU and 401 nm/RIU is obtained for gas and bio sensing, respectively. The obtained values are relatively high as compared to conventional dielectric microring resonator sensors. Our proposed sensor design has a potential to find further applications in biomedical science and nanophotonic circuits.

Quality factor investigation by using trapezoidal subwavelength grating waveguide micro-ring resonator based on graphene

Abstract Sub-wavelength grating waveguide-based micro-ring resonators (SWGMRs) are interesting areas of photonics and optoelectronics application. The nature of high bending loss has constrained the SWGRM to achieve a small radius with the satisfied quality factor. In this work, we have demonstrated that the bend loss in SWG waveguide has been substantially reduced by using optimized trapezoidal silicon pillars as compared to rectangular silicon pillars (conventional SWG). The Q factor variation has been increased 70.8% via the optimized trapezoidal silicon pillars. The simulation is conducted using miniaturized Si micro-ring resonators with the radius less than 5 μm and achieved Q > 104 with single-mode operation over the entire large free-spectral range. Moreover, the graphene has been used to coat upon the proposed design, which showed a further enhancement in Q-factor.

Computation of ion exchange buried microring resonator waveguide for THz communication applications

Abstract The ion exchange creates the optical buried waveguides, whereas it is the method that the glass doping occurs with the condition of existence of the mobile metal ions. The most common ion used is silver (Ag+) due to its broad variation in the refractive index. The proposed application presented in this work is to use the microring resonator (MRR) system based on the buried waveguides simulated by the ion exchange method. The passive MRRs are realized as the multi-wavelength transceiver, applicable in optical technologies such as the optical sensing, Terahertz (THz) communication and optical switching. The cross-sectional view of the simulated buried optical waveguide for the Ag+ concentrations of 0.8 mol/m3 is presented. The fundamental mode propagation is simulated using the time-domain traveling wave method, where the simulation of the optical power flow density and the electric field distributions of the buried waveguides were performed. The two coupled MRRs are used to generate tunable dual-wavelength with spacing in the range of Terahertz (THz). As results, the dual wavelengths in the range between 0.25 and 0.96 THz were generated at the throughput and drop port of the MRRs system.

High sensitive temperature sensor silicon-based microring resonator using the broadband input spectrum

Abstract A sensitivity enhanced optical temperature sensor has been investigated and developed based on a silicon oxynitride (SiON) waveguide microring resonator (MRR). The broadband supercontinuum (SC) output from a fiber laser cavity is injected into the input port of the MRR, where the output was detected at the drop port of MRR. The results can be useful for the sensor-based waveguide devices, where the applications such as the temperature sensors can be realized. The temperature sensor has been fabricated in an MRR-silicon base structure. Experimental characterization of inserting the SC as input source into the MRR as the temperature sensors were carried out. The advantage of using the SC as input source is that the sensor covers a wide range of wavelengths, thus sensing the temperature changes in the wide wavelength ranges which can extend the sensing device applications. This study opens a way to apply optical sensors by using broadband SC as a source for manufacturing temperature environments sensors within the MRR waveguide structures. This will enhance the ability of the current temperature sensors to function at different and long wavelength band.

Electric field sensing with liquid-crystal-filled slot waveguide microring resonators.

We consider the operation principles of the sensor of an external electric field on the bases of microring resonators that consist of bent-strip waveguides with vertical or horizontal slots filled with nematic liquid crystal. The mode-field distribution and dispersion parameters of the bent-slot waveguides are calculated by using the algorithm based on the method of lines. The influence of the waveguide and microresonator structure (slot width, position and orientation, microresonator radius, etc.) on the sensor sensitivity is analyzed.

High-sensitivity complex refractive index sensing based on Fano resonance in the subwavelength grating waveguide micro-ring resonator.

High-sensitivity complex refractive index sensing is proposed and experimentally demonstrated, favoring with sharp Fano resonance at 1550 nm wavelength based on subwavelength grating waveguide (SWG) micro-ring resonator. The micro-ring is composed by trapezoidal silicon pillars with subwavelength period to enhance the light-analyte overlap and get high quality factor as well. One straight SWG waveguide is side coupled with the micro-ring, which is specially designed to produce partial Fabry-Perot (FP) effect. Due to the interaction of resonant state of micro-ring and partial FP effect in straight waveguide, a sharp asymmetrical Fano resonance is formed at 1550 nm wavelength. Benefit from the large light-analyte overlap of the SWG waveguide structure and the sharp asymmetrical Fano resonance in spectrum, high theoretical sensitivities of 366 nm/RIU and 9700/RIU can be realized for the real part (n) and the imaginary part (κ) of refractive index respectively. We also experimentally demonstrate the sensing for glucose solution concentrations, and high experimental sensitivity of 363nm/RIU is obtained for n, and for κ the experimental results are also in well agreement with the simulation results.

Microring resonator made by ion-exchange technique for detecting the CO2, H2O, and NaCl as cladding layer

A system of Microring Resonator (MRR) based the comb-like sensor devices has been simulated. We present a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) ring resonator based on refractive index sensor. The novelty of the architecture lies in the capability to sense the shifts of multiple peaks simultaneously with an MRR waveguide. The behavior of optical MRRs, especially when functioning as refractive index sensors, is studied. Resonant wavelength, i.e. the wavelength at which the transmission spectrum exhibits a dip (peak) depends on the geometrical characteristics of the circular waveguide and the effective refractive index of the propagating mode. The previous studies have shown that the depth and vertical symmetry of buried waveguides are noticeably affected by the field perturbation. One of cost effective and low loss methods can be the technology known as ion-exchange which uses the glass substrates and the AgNO3/NaNO3 salt-melt at different temperatures and duration can be deposited on the glass substrates. Afterward, an MRR was designed on the glass substrates, where the effect of the carbon dioxide (CO2), Dihydrogen oxide (H2O), and sodium chloride (NaCl) as the cladding on the ion-exchange waveguide studied. Within the compare of the resonance in drop port and throughput port, it can understand that they roughly have the same distance of wavelength in the resonance. H2O is one of the materials showing higher Qfactor and FSR while it was in drop port also in throughput CO2 was the highest in these parameters.

Extracting loss from asymmetric resonances in micro-ring resonators

Propagation losses in micro-ring resonator waveguides can be determined from the shape of individual resonances in their transmission spectrum. The losses are typically extracted by fitting these resonances to an idealized model that is derived using scattering theory. Reflections caused by waveguide boundaries or stitching errors, however, cause the resonances to become asymmetric, resulting in poor fits and unreliable propagation loss coefficients. We derive a model that takes reflections into account and, by performing full-wave simulations, we show that this model accurately describes the asymmetric resonances that result from purely linear effects, yielding accurate propagation loss coefficients.

Improving the detection limit for on-chip photonic sensors based on subwavelength grating racetrack resonators.

Compared to the conventional strip waveguide microring resonators, subwavelength grating (SWG) waveguide microring resonators have better sensitivity and lower detection limit due to the enhanced photon-analyte interaction. As sensors, especially biosensors, are usually used in absorptive ambient environment, it is very challenging to further improve the detection limit of the SWG ring resonator by simply increasing the sensitivity. The high sensitivity resulted from larger mode-analyte overlap also brings significant absorption loss, which deteriorates the quality factor of the resonator. To explore the potential of the SWG ring resonator, we theoretically and experimentally optimize an ultrasensitive transverse magnetic mode SWG racetrack resonator to obtain maximum quality factor and thus lowest detection limit. A quality factor of 9800 around 1550 nm and sensitivity of 429.7 ± 0.4nm/RIU in water environment are achieved. It corresponds to a detection limit (λ/S·Q) of 3.71 × 10-4 RIU, which marks a reduction of 32.5% compared to the best value reported for SWG microring sensors.