Fabrication and Characterization of TeO2-ZnO Rib Waveguides

Abstract

This work presents, for the first time to our knowledge, experimental results on tellurite rib-type waveguides produced with TeO2-ZnO thin films deposited by RF Sputtering. Thin films were deposited at room temperature using Ar/O2 plasma at 5 mTorr pressure and RF power of 50 W on substrates of (100) silicon wafers. Geometry and sidewall of the waveguides were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Propagation losses of 0.1 dB/cm for 10 um rib width and 1.5 dB/cm for 3-5um ribs widths and 90 nm height were obtained.