Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) as a photonics platform

The optical properties of silicon, and the index and absorption modulation mechanisms available in Si are described. We discuss the characteristics of SOI waveguides, and highlight the design and fabrication challenges in view of the demand for downscaling of waveguide circuits. Scaling laws governing the mode number and size, propagation loss, bend loss, effective index and the birefringence of planar waveguides are discussed, and practical …