Microphotonics: Current Challenges and Applications

This chapter gives an overview of the current challenges encountered in implementing devices based on high index contrast microphotonic waveguides, along with some new applications. An input coupler based on graded index (GRIN) waveguides is described. Theoretical and experimental results on using of cladding stress to eliminate the polarization dependence in SOI waveguide devices are reviewed. Recent work on output coupling of data on many output waveguides using waveguide to free space coupler array is also described. Design rules are presented for increasing bandwidth and resolution of integrated waveguide microspectrometers, to address applications in spectroscopic sensing and analysis. Finally, the potential for high index contrast microphotonic waveguides in evanescent field sensing is explored.