LIGENTEC: All-Nitride Core Technology
MEASURED PERFORMANCE
DESIGN FLEXIBILITY
ADVANCED MODULES
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: 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.
| Silicon | Silicon Nitride | Silicon Oxide | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transparency | 1.1-9 μm | 0.25-8 μm | 0.13-3.5 μm |
| Band gap | 1.12 eV | 5 eV | 9 eV |
| Refractive index at 1550 nm | 3.47 | 2.00 | 1.46 |
| Nonlinear coefficient (m2W-1) | ~ 6*10-18 | 2*10-19 | ~ 2.5*10-20 |
| Deposition | Crystal material EPI/SOI* | High quality deposited by LPCVD | Thermally grown* |
* film in direct contact to the substrate
APPLICATION AREAS
LIDAR
LIGENTEC AN technology provides a basis for your LIDAR system:
– Work at the wavelength you want. Transparent to all LIDAR light sources 0.8 – 1.7um
– High power handling and low propagation losses to reach 200m of range safely (up to 10W tested, <0.1db/cm)
– Small chip size for scaling, with folded designs using the X2 module and tight bends (<10um)
– Minimal phase variations and easy in/out coupling (index contrast 0.7)
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Biosensing & Microscopy
Transparency and low loss propagation in the visible and NIR regions make Silicon Nitride (SiN) platforms attractive for many biophotonic sensing and imaging applications. As these areas usually rely on expensive, complicated and often bulky equipment, integrated photonics can bring here cost reduction.
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Quantum
LIGENTEC with our customers and partners use the unique properties of light to build quantum systems. Integrated photonics based on Ligentec technology incorporate quantum states generation, transmission and measurements on a single packaged solution having less sensitivity to environmental noise.
AN technology unique features for quantum applications
– Ultra-low propagation losses, with delay lines IP block having <5dB/m with bending radius in the um.
– Access to efficient spontaneous four wave mixing as a source of photon-pair generation. SFWM is enabled by high Q ring resonators and dispersion engineering by design.
– Technology tested down to 4mK at LPQM quantum photonics labs
– Efficient coupling to our chips (butt coupled, evanescence coupling) and fibers on the same chip using ExSpot and LoCA modules. Up to 4 spot converters and evanescent coupling demonstrated on a single chip.
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MORE APPLICATION AREAS
