SHG imaging technique for assessing hybrid EO polymer/silicon photonic integrated circuits
AssigneeArizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
InventorsRobert A. Norwood, Khanh Q. Kieu, Roland Himmelhuber
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Abstract
Probe beams are scanned with respect to waveguide substrates to generate optical harmonics. Detection of the optical harmonic radiation is used to image waveguide cores, claddings, or other structures such as electrodes. The detected optical radiation can also be used to provide estimates of linear electrooptic coefficients, or ratios of linear electrooptic coefficients. In some cases, the poling of polymer waveguide structures is monitored during fabrication based on a second harmonic of the probe beam. In some examples, third harmonic generation is used for imaging of conductive layers.
Claims18
An apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate stage configured to retain a waveguide defined by a polable polymer layer on a substrate;
- a beam scanner configured to scan a focused optical beam along an axis of the waveguide, wherein the focused optical beam is at a fundamental wavelength;
- an optical detection system configured to detect nonlinear optical radiation from the waveguide at an optical harmonic wavelength responsive to the focused optical beam;
- and
- a processing system configured to produce an image of at least a portion of the waveguide based on the scanning of the focused optical beam and the detected optical harmonic radiation and adjust poling conditions based on the detected optical harmonic radiation, wherein the poling conditions include at least one of a polymer temperature or a poling electric field applied to the polymer layer.
A method, comprising:
- directing a focused optical beam to a waveguide device retained on a substrate stage, wherein a waveguide of the waveguide device is defined by a polable polymer layer on a substrate;
- with a beam scanner, scanning the focused optical beam in a direction parallel to an axis of propagation in the waveguide device, wherein the focused optical beam is at a fundamental wavelength;
- detecting optical harmonic radiation at an optical harmonic wavelength produced responsive to the focused optical beam by the waveguide device and producing an image of at least a portion of the waveguide based on the scanning of the focused optical beam and the detected optical harmonic radiation;
- and
- adjusting poling conditions based on the detected optical harmonic radiation, wherein the poling conditions include at least one of polymer temperature or an electric field applied to the polymer layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.