Silicon-based integrated optics: Waveguide technology to microphotonics

Using a waveguide spectrometer chip as an example, we describe how high index contrast waveguides systems such as silicon-on-insulator can be combined with microphotonic design rules to extend the performance of waveguide devices. The challenges arising in the implementation of silicon microphotonic technology are discussed, and recent work addressing the issues of waveguide coupling, polarization sensitivity, waveguide loss and massively parallel data acquisition is reviewed. © 2005 Materials Research Society.