Mode-selective coupling structures for monolithic integrated waveguide-detector systems

Microsystems are presented in which a SiON based optical waveguiding system is monolithically integrated with photodiodes, which are implemented in the Si substrate. Coupling structures of various type enable to transfer whether (part of) the power of one selected mode or the power of all modi propagating through the waveguide, to the photodiode. Here we focus on coupling structures for use in integrated optical absorption sensor systems, where information can be obtained from both the TE0 and TM0 mode, propagating simultaneously through the waveguide system. The coupling into the photodiodes is achieved by thinning down the thickness of the core layer in the region above the photodiode, which results in a mode specific modewidth expansion of the propagating modi. It will be shown that in asymmetrical layer systems, within a certain interaction length all TM0 power can be absorbed by the Si detector, while the TE0 mode shows only a negligible attenuation. The selectivity of the coupling can be strongly enhanced by implementing an additional substrate layer, having a refractive index in between that of the TE0 and TM0 mode. Both theoretical and experimental results will be presented.