title: Investigation of local strain distribution and linear electro-optic effect in strained silicon waveguides.
abstract: We present detailed investigations of the local strain distribution and the induced second-order optical nonlinearity within strained silicon waveguides cladded with a Si₃N₄ strain layer. Micro-Raman Spectroscopy mappings and electro-optic characterization of waveguides with varying width w(WG) show that strain gradients in the waveguide core and the effective second-order susceptibility χ(2)(yyz) increase with reduced w(WG). For 300 nm wide waveguides a mean effective χ(2)(yyz) of 190 pm/V is achieved, which is the highest value reported for silicon so far. To gain more insight into the origin of the extraordinary large optical second-order nonlinearity of strained silicon waveguides numerical simulations of edge induced strain gradients in these structures are presented and discussed.
authors.forename: Bartos
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chmielak
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matheisen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ripperda
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bolten
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wahlbrink
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waldow
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurz