Abstract

To achieve low loss and complete confinement of light, we propose and study a plasmonic hybrid optical waveguide fabricated on an silicon-on-insulator substrate. Using controlled oxidation and etching processes, a deep submicrometer Si core is fabricated based on UV photolithography patterning. The as-fabricated waveguide demonstrates a very low propagation loss of $1.6\mathrm{dB}/\mathrm{mm}$ at $1550\mathrm{nm}$. The numerical study discloses the hybrid characteristics of the mode. It is shown that the optical power of the waveguiding mode distributes more in the high-index Si-core region, and the metal cover further confines the light beyond the diffraction limit. The hybrid waveguide may be applied in compact, high-density Si photonic integrated circuits.

© 2011 Optical Society of America

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