| In the present investigation, the qualitative and quantitative relation between the deposition parameters of PECVD (deposition pressure, temperature, rf-power, reacting gases and carrier gases varied compositions) and the physical properties of the deposited SiOxNy thin films (index of refraction, deposition rate, intrinsic stress, optical propagation loss) has been established, investigated and characterized.; Within the scope of this research, an alternative integrated-optic approach for optical signal amplification has been proposed and described. Three-dimensional waveguides are fabricated using silicon oxynitride (SiOxN y) films grown on top of active substrate materials. The waveguides support the bound modes for both the “pump” and “signal” beams. Power is extracted from the structure by the interaction of the evanescent field of the signal mode with the region of the substrate that is optically pumped by the evanescent field of the pump mode. The silicon oxynitride waveguide structures have been formed on Cr4+:LiAlO2 and Nd 3+:S-FAP crystal substrates by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) followed by reactive ion etching (RIE) through photoresist mask. The evanescent part of the guided mode of the pump field excited fluorescence in the spectral range of 1.1μm to 1.4μum. Amplification of a guided probe laser beam at 1.3μm has been observed. Data presented discusses the feasibility of realizing an integrated all-optical amplifier to upgrade long haul fiber-optic communication networks that operate at 1.3μm. This alternative approach is intended for materials that cannot be pulled into a fiber nor fabricated into the core of a waveguide structure.; A micro-opto-mechanical 1 x 2 switch has been realized on a silicon substrate using silicon oxynitride planar waveguide technology. The operational principle of the switch is based on the mechanical deflection of a cantilever beam due to electrostatic interaction. The simplicity of the device structure and well-established processing technology promise a cost-effective solution for realizing N x N integrated switching matrices to be utilized in fiber optic networks. |
