LIGENTEC: All-Nitride Core Technology

MEASURED PERFORMANCE

DESIGN FLEXIBILITY

ADVANCED MODULES

X2. Multi level photonics circuits

LoCA. Local cladding open for sensing and bonding

M1. High efficiency heater module for thermo-optic tuning

ExSpot. Spot size converters for mode matching to SMF in 1550nm

Low loss delay line

Splitter

Mach-Zehnder Interferometer

Phase shifter

Tunable Mach-Zehnder

Tunable ring resonator

PDK Process Design Kit

LIGENTEC: All-Nitride Core Technology

MEASURED PERFORMANCE

DESIGN FLEXIBILITY

ADVANCED MODULES

X2. Multi level photonics circuits

LoCA. Local cladding open for sensing and bonding

M1. High efficiency heater module for thermo-optic tuning

ExSpot. Spot size converters for mode matching to SMF in 1550nm

Low loss delay line

Splitter

Mach-Zehnder Interferometer

Phase shifter

Tunable Mach-Zehnder

Tunable ring resonator

LIGENTEC process offers a state of the art, cost-effective platform with very high geometric accuracy. The process is accompanied by a complete PDK (available in L-edit, Calibre, Luceda and Synopsys). The PDK includes DRC rules files, and validated simulation film for our reference designs. Example of reference design:

  • Spot converters
  • Ultra low loss spirals
  • MZI, MMI
  • Ring resonators
  • Filters
  • AWG
  • Heaters
  • 2 x 2 mm
  • uniformity

An unique feature of the thick waveguides is their anomalous dispersion and their high damage threshold that is important in a range of nonlinear optical applications, including integrated quantum communication, supercontinuum generation in waveguides from pulsed lasers, femtosecond pulse generation from CW lasers using soliton generation in microresonators. The high power threshold enables applications such as LIDAR to propagate Watts of power in the waveguides. In addition the transparency window in the visible renders silicon nitride planar photonic circuits attractive for microfluidics and bio-sensing applications.

At the start, AN technology is named because most of the mode (>90%) is in the nitride waveguide. The high mode confinement:

  • Extends the transparency window to 3.0 µm in the MIR
  • Reduces the bending radius, making very compact design possible
  • Gives access to non-linear and quantum option through waveguide design
  • Can operate in very high power with/without non-linear effects
  • Reduced the propagation losses
The AN technology is available in two modular processes, developed from the ground up for photonics.

SILICON NITRIDE

Ultra wide transparency window reaching from 400-4000nm of wavelength

Large band gap providing ultra low propagation loss and high nonlinear coefficient for nonlinear integrated photonics applications

Refractive index of 2.00 enabling easy fiber coupling

Deposited amorphous material allowing monolithic 3D integration of devices on the same chip

Ultra thick waveguides for excellent mode-confinement, providing tight bends (< 10 µm) and access to dispersion engineering

LIGENTEC process offers a state of the art, cost-effective platform with very high geometric accuracy. The process is accompanied by a complete PDK (available in L-edit, Calibre, Luceda and Synopsys). The PDK includes DRC rules files, and validated simulation film for our reference designs. Example of reference design:

  • Spot converters
  • Ultra low loss spirals
  • MZI, MMI
  • Ring resonators
  • Filters
  • AWG
  • Heaters

 

An unique feature of the thick waveguides is their anomalous dispersion and their high damage threshold that is important in a range of nonlinear optical applications, including integrated quantum communication, supercontinuum generation in waveguides from pulsed lasers, femtosecond pulse generation from CW lasers using soliton generation in microresonators. The high power threshold enables applications such as LIDAR to propagate Watts of power in the waveguides. In addition the transparency window in the visible renders silicon nitride planar photonic circuits attractive for microfluidics and bio-sensing applications.

At the start, AN technology is named because most of the mode (>90%) is in the nitride waveguide. The high mode confinement:

  • Extends the transparency window to 3.0 µm in the MIR
  • Reduces the bending radius, making very compact design possible
  • Gives access to non-linear and quantum option through waveguide design
  • Can operate in very high power with/without non-linear effects
  • Reduced the propagation losses
The AN technology is available in two modular processes, developed from the ground up for photonics.

SILICON NITRIDE

Ultra wide transparency window reaching from 400-4000nm of wavelength

Large band gap providing low propagation loss and high nonlinear coefficient for nonlinear integrated photonics applications

Deposited amorphous material allowing monolithic 3D integration of devices on the same chip

High refractive index of 2.00 enabling high confinement waveguides and cost benefits through reduced device size

Ultra thick low loss LPCVD SiN for excellent mode-confinement and small bending radius

LIGENTEC offers its proprietary silicon nitride (Si3N4) platform targeted at photonic applications using integrated photonic chips from visible to mid-IR.

Silicon nitride as a material strikes a balance between silicon and silicon oxide.

SiliconSilicon NitrideSilicon Oxide
Transparency1.1-9 μm0.25-8 μm0.13-3.5 μm
Band gap1.12 eV5 eV9 eV
Refractive index at 1550 nm3.472.001.46
Nonlinear coefficient (m2W-1)~ 6*10-182*10-19~ 2.5*10-20
DepositionCrystal material EPI/SOI*High quality deposited by LPCVDThermally grown*

* film in direct contact to the substrate

APPLICATION AREAS

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LOW-LOSS INTEGRATED PHOTONICS