Design, Fabrication, and Evaluation of Waveguide Structure Using Si/CaF<sub>2</sub> Heterostructure for Near- and Mid- Infrared Silicon Photonics

We have proposed integrated waveguide structure suitable for mid- and near- infrared light propagation using Si and CaF2 heterostructures on Si substrate. Using a fabrication process based on etching, lithography and crystal growth techniques, we have formed a slab-waveguide structure with a current injection mechanism on a SOI substrate, which would be a key component for Si/CaF2 quantum cascade lasers and other optical integrated systems. The propagation of light at a wavelength of 1.55 µm through a Si/CaF2 waveguide structure have been demonstrated for the first time using a structure with a Si/CaF2 multilayered core with 610-nm-thick, waveguide width of 970 nm, which satisfies single-mode condition in the horizontal direction within a tolerance of fabrication accuracy. The waveguide loss for transverse magnetic (TM) mode has been evaluated to be 51.4 cm-1. The cause of the loss was discussed by estimating the edge roughness scattering and free carrier absorption, which suggests further reduction of the loss would be possible.