title: Imaging highly confined modes in sub-micron scale silicon waveguides using Transmission-based Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy.
abstract: We demonstrate a new technique for high resolution imaging of near field profiles in highly confining photonic structures. This technique, Transmission-based Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (TraNSOM), measures changes in transmission through a waveguide resulting from near field perturbation by a scanning metallic probe. Using this technique we compare different mode polarizations and measure a transverse optical decay length of lambda/15 in sub-micron Silicon On Insulator (SOI) waveguides. These measurements compare well to theoretical results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Jacob T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Stefan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Preble
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lipson