Low propagation loss AlGaAs waveguides fabricated with plasma-assisted photoresist reflow.
Low propagation loss AlGaAs waveguides fabricated with plasma-assisted photoresist reflow.
复制标题
采用等离子体辅助光刻胶回流制造的低传播损耗 AlGaAs 波导。
作者：
G. Porkolab;P. Apiratikul;Bohan Wang;Shy;C. Richardson
本文报道了用氮等离子体辅助光刻胶回流技术制作的低损耗深腐蚀AlGaAs光波导。氮等离子体和热的同时应用被用来降低图案化的光致抗蚀剂的线边缘粗糙度，并限制亚微米级波导的光致抗蚀剂图案的横向扩展。经显影的光致抗蚀剂蚀刻样品与经平滑的光致抗蚀剂蚀刻样品之间的经蚀刻侧壁的边缘粗糙度的比较显示RMS粗糙度从3.39± 0.17nm减小到1.39± 0.03nm。通过测量波导损耗作为波导宽度的函数来验证传播损耗的减少。制作了模面积为0.4 μm（2）的0.65 μm宽波导，其横电模的传输损耗为1.20± 0.13dB/cm。
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.