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The effective refractive index of dielectric waveguides can be tuned using the thermo-optic effect. In general, the tuning efficiency is polarization-dependent owing to temperature-induced stress in the layers, which causes polarization-dependent loss in optical devices. These stress issues are analyzed and tested for a high-index-contrast waveguide structure based on a silicon-oxynitride core. Experimental results are in agreement with simulations. The relative difference in tuning efficiency for TE and TM polarized light can be tuned from -3% to +3% by appropriate waveguide technology control. The optimized thermo-optic phase shifters show tuning efficiency differences below 0.25%, which are reproducible from wafer to wafer.
By: B.J. Offrein, D. Jubin, T. Koster, T. Brunschwiler, F. Horst, D. Wiesmann, I. Meijer, M. Sousa Petit, D. Webb, R. Germann and G.L. Bona
Published in: IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, volume 16, (no 6), pages 1483 in 2004
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