1. On-chip integrated mid-infrared GaAs/AlGaAs Mach-Zehnder interferometer.
- Author
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Sieger M, Balluff F, Wang X, Kim SS, Leidner L, Gauglitz G, and Mizaikoff B
- Subjects
- Interferometry methods, Spectrophotometry, Infrared methods, Aluminum chemistry, Arsenicals chemistry, Equipment Design methods, Gallium chemistry, Optical Devices
- Abstract
We report the design, fabrication, and first functional verification of mid-infrared (MIR; 3-12 μm) Mach-Zehnder interferometers (MZIs). The developed MIR-MZIs are entirely chip-integrated solid-state devices based on GaAs/AlGaAs technology waveguide fabricated via conventional optical lithography and reactive ion etching (RIE). Thus, fabricated MIR-MZIs were combined with a broadly tunable quantum cascade laser (tQCL) providing a wavelength coverage of 5.78-6.35 μm. MIR-MZIs have been designed with a waveguide width of 5 μm to ensure single mode behavior, avoiding optically undefined interference patterns. Several structures with different opening angles of the Y-junction were fabricated and tested for maximizing IR radiation throughput. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the very first chip-integrated mid-infrared Mach-Zehnder structures via interference patterns produced by minute amounts of water deposited at different positions of the MIR-MZI structure.
- Published
- 2013
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