Dispersion characteristics of SOI-based slot optical waveguides

The invention of the slot waveguide had enabled a number of interesting novel linear or nonlinear optical applications by guiding light in nanometers-wide low index slots guarded by high-index slabs. As one of its key characteristics, the low modal index for this kind of waveguides has been demonstrated by many studies. However, their higher order dispersion properties have not been thoroughly investigated yet, while the growing size and complexity of these devices and their potential nonlinear optical applications involving short optical pulses demand further understanding in their dispersion behavior. We here carry out a numerical study on the higher order dispersion characteristics of the SOI-based slot structures around the 1550 nm wavelength. Our results show that they could have significantly different second order dispersion properties in contrast to the traditional channel SOI waveguides. Their potentially large normal dispersion could have an impact on various nonlinear or linear applications. The relationship between the dispersion performance and the waveguide design is also investigated, and the results could show further venues to optimize or control the dispersion properties of such waveguides. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.