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Title: Fabrication-tolerant Fourier transform spectrometer on silicon with broad bandwidth and high resolution

We report an advanced Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) on silicon with significant improvement compared with our previous demonstration in [Nat. Commun.9,665(2018)2041-1723]. We retrieve a broadband spectrum (7 THz around 193 THz) with 0.11 THz or sub nm resolution, more than 3 times higher than previously demonstrated [Nat. Commun.9,665(2018)2041-1723]. Moreover, it effectively solves the issue of fabrication variation in waveguide width, which is a common issue in silicon photonics. The structure is a balanced Mach–Zehnder interferometer with 10 cm long serpentine waveguides. Quasi-continuous optical path difference between the two arms is induced by changing the effective index of one arm using an integrated heater. The serpentine arms utilize wide multi-mode waveguides at the straight sections to reduce propagation loss and narrow single-mode waveguides at the bending sections to keep the footprint compact and avoid modal crosstalk. The reduction of propagation loss leads to higher spectral efficiency, larger dynamic range, and better signal-to-noise ratio. Also, for the first time to our knowledge, we perform a thorough systematic analysis on how the fabrication variation on the waveguide widths can affect its performance. Additionally, we demonstrate that using wide waveguides efficiently leads to a fabrication-tolerant device. This work could further pave the way towards a mature silicon-based FTS operating with both broad bandwidth (over 60 nm) and high resolution suitable for integration with various mobile platforms.

 
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Award ID(s):
1901844 1807890 1707641 1640227 1704085
NSF-PAR ID:
10132809
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Optical Society of America
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Photonics Research
Volume:
8
Issue:
2
ISSN:
2327-9125
Page Range / eLocation ID:
Article No. 219
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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