<p> 1-by-N optical power splitters are primary components in the field of integrated optics and optical transmission systems. Planar waveguide optical power splitters are key devices to realize low-cost optical transmission systems through photonic integration. The goal of this thesis is to design, model and simulate a novel planar waveguide optical power splitter for optical transmission systems and Fiber to the Home (FTTH) networks.</p> <p> The first chapter is an introduction. This chapter gives the background of power splitter, reviews the existing devices and explains why our novel design is needed.</p> <p> The idea of this novel power splitter is presented in Chapter 2, including analytical formulations, theoretical calculations and designs. This serves as a theoretical foundation for the development and verification of different parts presented in Chapter 3. The novel power splitter design is composed of a series of waveguide lenses and waveguide phase shifts. The analytical formulations are derived and intensive numerical simulations are performed to verify and investigate this new power splitter. Also the conventional Beam Propagation Method (BPM) is studied in this chapter, which provides a numerical preparation for the device simulation and design in the subsequent chapter.</p> <p> The design results are shown in Chapter 4. The novel power splitter design predicts good performance with more compact device size, better output and smaller wavelength dependence. This chapter demonstrated the possibility of new power splitter working as a better approach to the existing MMI or other structures.</p> <p> Finally, Chapter 5 gives a conclusion to this thesis. The limitations of this work are presented and the future works are proposed.</p> / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Planar and cylindrical waveguides with linear cladding and a core with real, field dependent permittivity are considered, in particular even and odd modes are investigated.Assuming a plane wave with TE-polarization, Maxwell´s equations for the electric field lead to a nonlinear differential equation whose solution is approximated by means of a Green s function and an iteration method. Referring to a photorefractive permittivity with external field, the approximate solution is compared with the numerical solution; furthermore, the amplitude of even modes in the planar waveguide is compared with the analytically determined amplitude. In both cases, the agreement is satisfactory.The conditions of convergence of the iteration are investigated for a photorefractive permittivity with external field. It is shown that they are fulfilled for suitable choice of the width of the waveguide and the propagation constant. By means of the iteration method, the change of the linear dispersion relation due to the field dependent permittivity is described.The ratio of the power flow in the core to the total power flow is linearized in order to investigate the influence of weak nonlinearity.

<p>A novel planar waveguide Time Domain Optical Fourier Transformer (TD-OFT), which is composed of waveguide lenses and blazed phase gratings, is proposed. A detailed mathematical derivation based on scalar diffraction optics is presented. In order to verify the theoretical analysis, the reciprocity in TD-OFT is also studied. Three different pulse examples, including the Gaussian pulse, square pulse and square pulse train, are implemented by analytical formulations. To evaluate the device performance, the similarity coefficient is defined. The results show that the similarity increases as the device aperture increases. However, there is trade-off between the similarity and the spectra resolution. For the input pulse, under the circumstance of same similarity, the shorter temporal pulse duration (larger bandwidth) needs smaller aperture size. Improved waveguide lens is particularly designed and then the whole device is simulated by Extension of BPM (EX-BPM) with two specific pulses, Gaussian and raised cosine pulse. The simulation results are also verified by reciprocity theorem using the numerical method. The designed TD-OFT occupies a size about 600μm (in width)×5mm (in length) for an ultrafast pulse around 10fs. It is possible to make the device size even smaller either by reducing the focal length of the collimating lens or enlarging the bandwidth of input pulse. Compared with currently proposed TD-OFT made by discrete photonic and optoelectronic components, this design can be integrated with a more compact size and seems more appealing on the simulated performance and fabrication cost. As a result, the planar waveguide TD-OFT has great potential in the next ultrafast optical network.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Dans la gamme de fréquence térahertz (THz), les sources et les détecteurs couramment utilisés en optique et en électronique présentent une chute de performances. Mon travail de thèse s’inscrit dans le cadre de la recherche de composants THz peu onéreux, compacts, accordables en fréquence et facile à intégrer. Le premier volet de mon travail de thèse concerne la détection THz et met à profit le couplage entre une onde incidente THz et des plasmons d’un gaz bidimensionnel d’électrons (2DEG) via des réseaux métalliques déposés au-dessus d’hétérostructures. Quatre puits quantiques à base de semi-conducteurs III/V(AlGaN/GaN, AlGaAs/GaAs, InAlN/GaN) et IV/IV (SiGe/Si/SiGe) ont été étudiés. Parmi les hétérostructures envisagées, celles réalisées à partir de matériaux III-N présentent les plus fortes résonances. Des mesures de spectre de transmission ont été effectuées avec un spectromètre à transformée de Fourier (FTIR) à température ambiante et cryogénique. Les modélisations numériques sont en bon accord avec les résultats expérimentaux. Une étude sur l’influence de la distribution homogène ou inhomogène du gaz d’électrons 2D est présentée. Le deuxième volet de la thèse concerne l’optimisation de la transmission THz. Les performances (dipsersions et les pertes) des guides d'onde planaires sont mal connues au THz. Nous avons choisi d’étudier des guides d’onde couramment utilisés en hyperfréquence. Dans un premier temps, la dispersion et les pertes (rayonnement, conduction et diélectrique) de lignes coplanaires (CPW) sur substrat polymère (BCB = benzocyclobutène) et substrat semiconducteur (InP) obtenues grâce à des modélisations numériques (Ansoft HFSS) entre 20 GHz et 1 THz sont présentées. Puis d’autres types de guides ont été envisagés tels que les lignes micro-ruban, à fente et triplaques sur substrat BCB avec HFSS et CST MWS. Leurs performances ont été comparées afin de dégager la structure la plus performante au THz. Des mesures entre 340 et 500 GHz ont pu aussi être réalisées pour les guides CPW. La comparaison avec les données numériques a montré un bon accord. / In the THz frequency gap between electronics and optics, the development of compact, tunable, less costly and room temperature operating sources, detectors, amplifiers and passive devices is growing. Electronic devices based on two dimensional (2D) plasmons in heterostructures open up the possibility of tunable emission and detection of THz radiation. For short distance THz transmission, the increased radiation loss as well as other types of loss (dielectric and ohmic loss) may handicap the applications of conventional planar waveguides well studied in the microwave band. Reevaluation of their propagation properties and comprehension of the physical nature of each kind of loss are necessary.This work is divided into two main sections. The first part deals with the optimization of THz resonant detection by quasi 2D plasmons-polaritons (PP) in the quantum wells (QW) among four heterostructures: III-V (AlGaN/GaN, InAlN/GaN, AlGaAs/GaAs) and IV-IV (SiGe/Si/SiGe). With the aid of metallic grating coupler, both ANSOFT HFSS and an indigenously developed program are used to investigate quantitatively the influences of structural parameters (grating period, metal strip width and thickness of barrier layer) and natural properties of 2D plasmons (electron concentration and mobility) on the PP resonances (frequency and amplitude) up to 5 THz. Transmission spectra of sample AlGaN/GaN have been measured by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) in 0.6-1.8 THz for various metal widths and at different temperatures to compare with the simulated results. At last, two types of modulated 2D electron gas in AlGaAs/GaAs are analyzed. One is the natural electron variation below and between metal fingers due to the difference between the barrier height at the interface metal/semiconductor and Fermi level pinning at the interface air/semiconductor. The other type is the forced modulated 2DEG by biasing voltage on metal fingers. These two parametric studies allow us to analyze and tune the frequency and amplitude of the THz detection. The second part separately studies the dispersions and attenuations of four waveguides (CPW, Microstrip, Stripline and Slotline) with the variation of geometric dimensions and properties of dielectric and metal by ANSOFT HFSS and CST MWS. Their performances are compared until 1 THz based on the same characteristic impedance. The advantages and the limitations of each waveguide are outlined and an optimal THz transmission line is proposed. Furthermore, preliminary measured attenuation of CPW in the frequency range 340-500 GHz are demonstrated and compared with numerical results. The design of transitions for adapting experimental probes by HFSS and the de-embedding method for extracting scattering and attenuation parameters of CPW by ADS are also presented..

Among various planar lightwave circuits for multiplexing/demultiplexing in an optical communication system, etched diffraction gratings (EDGs) have shown great potential due to their compactness and high spectral finesse. Conventional numerical methods for grating simulation cannot be used to simulate an EDG demultiplexer of large size (in terms of the wavelength). In the present thesis, the polarization-dependent characteristics of an EDG demultiplexer are analyzed with a boundary element method (BEM) for both an echelle grating coated with a metal and a dielectric grating with total internal reflection (TIR) facets. For EDGs with metal-coated facets, we use a more effective method, namely, method of moments (MoM). Futhermore, a fast simulation method for EDGs with TIR facets is presented based on the Kirchhoff–Huygens principle and the Goos-Hänchen shift. This simple method has a good agreement with a BEM over a wide range of practical parameters of the device. Several novel designs are presented in order to improve the performances of EDGs. (1) By making some appropriate roughness on the surface of the shaded facets, the PDL of the demultiplexer can be effectively reduced over a large bandwith. (2) For EDGs based on Si nanowire structures, we compensate the polarization-dependent wavelength dispersion (PDλ) in the whole operational spectrum by introducing a polarization compensation area in its free propagation region. (3) An EDG demultiplexer with suppressed sidelobe is designed. The designed EDG demultiplexer can give a crosstalk as small as 50 dB in theory. (4) By chirping the diffraction order for each facet, we minimize the envelope intensity for the other adjacent diffraction orders to achieve a negligible return loss in a large spectral width. (5) A design for EDG demultiplexers is presented to obtain both large grating facets and a larger free spectral range (FSR) using the optimal chirped diffraction orders for different facets. The influences of the fabrication errors (e.g., rounded effect, surface roughness and point defect in the waveguide) on the performance (such as the insertion loss, the polarization dependent loss and the chromatic dispersion) of an EDG demultiplexer are also analyzed in detail. Silicon nanowire waveguides and related EDGs are studied. An EDG demultiplexer with 10 nm spacing is finally fabricated and characterized. / QC 20100910

The mid-infrared (MIR) spectral range (2-20 m) is particularly useful for chemical sensing due to the excitation of fundamental rotational and vibrational modes. In the fingerprint region (10-20 m), most organic analytes have unique absorption patterns; absorption measurements in this region provide molecule-specific information with high sensitivity. Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) present an ideal light source for (MIR) chemical sensing due to their narrow linewidth, high spectral density, compact size, and ease of fabrication of nearly any MIR wavelength. As the emission wavelength is dependent on layer size within the heterostructure rather than material composition, various wavelengths in the MIR can be achieved through bandstructure engineering. High sensitivity measurements have been achieved in both gas and liquid phase by developing integrated sensing systems. The laser emission frequency is selected to match a strong absorption feature for the analyte of interest where no other interfering bands are located. A waveguide is then developed to fit the application and wavelength used. Gas sensing applications incorporate silica hollow waveguides (HWG) and an OmniGuide fiber (or photonic bandgap HWG). Analyte gas is injected into the hollow core allowing the HWG or OmniGuide to serve simultaneously as a waveguide and miniaturized gas cell. Sensitivities of parts per billion are achieved with a response time of 8 s and a sample volume of approximately 1 mL. Liquid sensing is achieved via evanescent wave measurements with planar waveguides of silver halide (AgX) and gallium arsenide (GaAs). GaAs waveguides developed in this work have a thickness on the order of the wavelength of light achieving single-mode waveguides, providing a significant improvement in evanescent field strength over conventional multimode fibers. Liquid samples of L volume at the waveguide surfaces are detected. QCLs have begun to be utilized as a light source in the MIR regime over the last decade. The next step in this field is the development of compact and highly integrated device platforms which take full advantage of this technology. The sensing demonstrations in this work advance the field towards finding key applications in medical, biological, environmental, and atmospheric measurements.

The main objectives of this thesis were to develop a lowtemperature PECVD process suitable for optoelectronicintegration, and to optimize silica glass composition forUV-induced modifications of a refractive index in PECVDfabricated planar devices. The most important achievement isthe successful development of a low temperature silicadeposition, which for the first time makes it is possible tofabricate good quality low loss integrated components whilekeeping the temperature below 250oC during the entirefabrication process. Two strong absorption peaks thatappear at1.5 mm communication window due to N-H and Si-H bonds have beencompletely eliminated by process optimization. This openspossibilities for monolithic integration with other,temperature sensitive devices, such as semiconductor lasers anddetectors, or polymer-based structures on the common siliconplatform. PECVD technology for low loss amorphous silicon inapplication to SiO2/Si based photonic crystal structures hasbeen also optimized to remove hydrogen incorporated during thedeposition process, responsible for the porosity of thedeposited material and creation of similar to silica absorptionbands. Change of the refractive index of germanium doped silicaunder UV irradiation is commonly used for fabrication of UVinduced fiber Bragg gratings. Here we describe our achievementsin fabrication of fiber Bragg gratings and their application todistributed sensor systems. Recently we have built up a laserlab for UV treatment in application to planar technology. Wehave demonstrated the high photosensitivity of PECVD depositedGe-doped glasses (not thermally annealed) even without hydrogenloading, leading to a record transmission suppression of 47dBin a Bragg grating photoinduced in a straight buried channelwaveguide. We have also used a UV induced refractive indexchange to introduce other device modifications or functions,such as phase shift, wavelength trimming and control ofpolarization birefringence.The developed low temperature technology and the UVprocessing form a unique technology platform for development ofnovel integrated functional devices for optical communicationsystems. A substantial part of the thesis has been devoted tostudying different plasma deposition parameters and theirinfluence on the optical characteristics of fabricatedwaveguides to find the processing window giving the besttrade-off between the deposition rate,chamber temperatureduring the process, optical losses and presence of absorptionbands within the interesting wavelength range. The optimalconditions identified in this study are low pressure (300-400mTorr), high dilution of silane in nitrous oxide and high totalflow (2000 sccm), low frequency (380 KHz) RF source and high RFpower levels (800-1000 W). The thesis provides better understanding of the plasmareactions during the deposition process. RF Power is the keyparameter for increasing the rate of surface processes so as toaccommodate each atomic layer in the lowest energy statepossible. All the process conditions which favor a moreenergetic ion bombardment (i.e. low pressure, low frequency andhigh power) improve the quality of the material, making it moredense and similar to thermal oxide, but after a certain pointthe positive trend with increasing power saturates. As theenergy of the incoming ion increases, a competing effect setsin at the surface: ion induced damage and resputtering. Finally, the developed technologies were applied for thefabrication of some test and new concept devices for opticalcommunication systems including multimode interference (MMI)-based couplers/splitters, state-of-the-art arrayed waveguidegrating-based multi/ demultiplexers, the first Bragg gratingassisted MMI-based add-drop multiplexer, as well as moreresearch oriented devices such as a Mach-Zehnder switch basedon silica poling and a Photonic Crystal-based coupler. <b>Keywords:</b>silica-on-silicon technology, PECVD, plasmadeposition, photonic integrated circuits, planar waveguidedevices, UV Bragg gratings, photosensitivity, arrayed waveguidegratings, multimode interference couplers, add-dropmultiplexers.

<p>The main objectives of this thesis were to develop a lowtemperature PECVD process suitable for optoelectronicintegration, and to optimize silica glass composition forUV-induced modifications of a refractive index in PECVDfabricated planar devices. The most important achievement isthe successful development of a low temperature silicadeposition, which for the first time makes it is possible tofabricate good quality low loss integrated components whilekeeping the temperature below 250oC during the entirefabrication process. Two strong absorption peaks thatappear at1.5 mm communication window due to N-H and Si-H bonds have beencompletely eliminated by process optimization. This openspossibilities for monolithic integration with other,temperature sensitive devices, such as semiconductor lasers anddetectors, or polymer-based structures on the common siliconplatform. PECVD technology for low loss amorphous silicon inapplication to SiO2/Si based photonic crystal structures hasbeen also optimized to remove hydrogen incorporated during thedeposition process, responsible for the porosity of thedeposited material and creation of similar to silica absorptionbands.</p><p>Change of the refractive index of germanium doped silicaunder UV irradiation is commonly used for fabrication of UVinduced fiber Bragg gratings. Here we describe our achievementsin fabrication of fiber Bragg gratings and their application todistributed sensor systems. Recently we have built up a laserlab for UV treatment in application to planar technology. Wehave demonstrated the high photosensitivity of PECVD depositedGe-doped glasses (not thermally annealed) even without hydrogenloading, leading to a record transmission suppression of 47dBin a Bragg grating photoinduced in a straight buried channelwaveguide. We have also used a UV induced refractive indexchange to introduce other device modifications or functions,such as phase shift, wavelength trimming and control ofpolarization birefringence.The developed low temperature technology and the UVprocessing form a unique technology platform for development ofnovel integrated functional devices for optical communicationsystems.</p><p>A substantial part of the thesis has been devoted tostudying different plasma deposition parameters and theirinfluence on the optical characteristics of fabricatedwaveguides to find the processing window giving the besttrade-off between the deposition rate,chamber temperatureduring the process, optical losses and presence of absorptionbands within the interesting wavelength range. The optimalconditions identified in this study are low pressure (300-400mTorr), high dilution of silane in nitrous oxide and high totalflow (2000 sccm), low frequency (380 KHz) RF source and high RFpower levels (800-1000 W).</p><p>The thesis provides better understanding of the plasmareactions during the deposition process. RF Power is the keyparameter for increasing the rate of surface processes so as toaccommodate each atomic layer in the lowest energy statepossible. All the process conditions which favor a moreenergetic ion bombardment (i.e. low pressure, low frequency andhigh power) improve the quality of the material, making it moredense and similar to thermal oxide, but after a certain pointthe positive trend with increasing power saturates. As theenergy of the incoming ion increases, a competing effect setsin at the surface: ion induced damage and resputtering.</p><p>Finally, the developed technologies were applied for thefabrication of some test and new concept devices for opticalcommunication systems including multimode interference (MMI)-based couplers/splitters, state-of-the-art arrayed waveguidegrating-based multi/ demultiplexers, the first Bragg gratingassisted MMI-based add-drop multiplexer, as well as moreresearch oriented devices such as a Mach-Zehnder switch basedon silica poling and a Photonic Crystal-based coupler.</p><p><b>Keywords:</b>silica-on-silicon technology, PECVD, plasmadeposition, photonic integrated circuits, planar waveguidedevices, UV Bragg gratings, photosensitivity, arrayed waveguidegratings, multimode interference couplers, add-dropmultiplexers.</p>

Metamaterials are humanly engineered artificial electromagnetic materials which produce electromagnetic properties that are unusual, yet can be observed readily in nature. These unconventional properties are not a result of the material composition but rather of the structure formed. The objective of this thesis is to investigate and design smaller and wideband metamaterial-inspired antennas for personal communication applications, especially for WiMAX, lower band and higher band WLAN applications. These antennas have been simulated using HFSS Structure Simulator and CST Microwave Studio software. The first design to be analysed is a low-profile metamaterial-inspired CPW-Fed monopole antenna for WLAN applications. The antenna is based on a simple strip loaded with a rectangular patch incorporating a zigzag E-shape metamaterial-inspired unit cell to enable miniaturization effect. Secondly, a physically compact, CSRR loaded monopole antenna with DGS has been proposed for WiMAX/WLAN operations. The introduction of CSRR induces frequency at lower WLAN 2.45 GHz band while the DGS has provided bandwidth enhancement in WiMAX and upper WLAN frequency bands, keeping the radiation pattern stable. The next class of antenna is a compact cloud-shaped monopole antenna consisting of a staircase-shaped DGS has been proposed for UWB operation ranges from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. The novel shaped antenna along with carefully designed DGS has resulted in a positive gain throughout the operational bandwidth. Finally, a quad-band, CPW-Fed metamaterial-inspired antenna with CRLH-TL and EBG is designed for multi-band: Satellite, LTE, WiMAX and WLAN.

Metamaterials are humanly engineered artificial electromagnetic materials which produce electromagnetic properties that are unusual, yet can be observed readily in nature. These unconventional properties are not a result of the material composition but rather of the structure formed. The objective of this thesis is to investigate and design smaller and wideband metamaterial-inspired antennas for personal communication applications, especially for WiMAX, lower band and higher band WLAN applications. These antennas have been simulated using HFSS Structure Simulator and CST Microwave Studio software. The first design to be analysed is a low-profile metamaterial-inspired CPW-Fed monopole antenna for WLAN applications. The antenna is based on a simple strip loaded with a rectangular patch incorporating a zigzag E-shape metamaterial-inspired unit cell to enable miniaturization effect. Secondly, a physically compact, CSRR loaded monopole antenna with DGS has been proposed for WiMAX/WLAN operations. The introduction of CSRR induces frequency at lower WLAN 2.45 GHz band while the DGS has provided bandwidth enhancement in WiMAX and upper WLAN frequency bands, keeping the radiation pattern stable. The next class of antenna is a compact cloud-shaped monopole antenna consisting of a staircase-shaped DGS has been proposed for UWB operation ranges from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. The novel shaped antenna along with carefully designed DGS has resulted in a positive gain throughout the operational bandwidth. Finally, a quad-band, CPW-Fed metamaterial-inspired antenna with CRLH-TL and EBG is designed for multi-band: Satellite, LTE, WiMAX and WLAN.