Graded index Silicon Germanium photonics circuits in the mid-infrared

A photonics platform based on graded SiGe waveguides has been developed for operating in the mid-IR range, with experimental demonstrations up to 11 mu m wavelength. Applications are related with absorption spectroscopy and sensing in the fingerprint region, and with free space communications. After an overview of the platform, the presentation will focus on : (i) integrated high speed modulators operating in a wide spectral range, based on free carrier plasma dispersion effect, (ii) integrated resonators operating around 8 mu m wavelength with quality factors beyond 10(5). We will also show that mid-IR graded SiGe photonics circuits can be fabricated on industrial-scale 200 mm wafers, and that low propagation losses can be obtained in a wide spectral range of the mid-IR. These results thus pave the way for a scalable silicon compatible mid-infrared platform.