Ta2O5 based nonlinear waveguide for Si photonics 

To achieve high bit rate signal processing in the integrated optical system, the ultrafast all optical modulator is regarded as the key element in the modern optical communication system. Recently, a low-loss and high-Q Ta2O5 based micro-ring resonator is developed and presented. The micro-ring resonator and channel waveguide with core area of the 700 by 400 nm2 were fabricated on amorphous Ta2O5 thin films prepared by reactive sputtering with Q as high as 2x105. Meanwhile, the nonlinear refractive index of Ta2O5 waveguide at 1550 nm as high as 4 × 10−14 cm2∕W was also reported. The progress of nonlinear optical properties of low loss waveguide based on Tantalum Pentoxide (Ta2O5) will be introduced. In addition, the application for Si photonics will be discussed as well.