Optical nonlinearities in hydrogenated-amorphous silicon waveguides

We experimentally measure the optical nonlinearities in hydrogenated-amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) waveguides through the transmission of ultra-short pulses. The measured two-photon absorption coefficient beta is 4.1 cm/GW and we obtain a 3.5 pi nonlinear phase shift at 4.1 W coupled input power corresponding to a nonlinear refractive index n(2) of 4.2 . 10(-13) cm(2)/W. The measured nonlinear coefficient gamma = 2003 (W . m)(-1) is at least 5 times the value in crystalline silicon. The measured free carrier absorption coefficient sigma = 1.9 . 10(-16) cm(2) agrees with the values predicted from the Drude-Lorenz model. It is seen that a-Si:H exhibits enhanced nonlinear properties at 1550 nm and is a promising platform for nonlinear silicon photonics. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America