Telluride films and waveguides for IR integrated optics

The fabrication of micro-components for far infrared applications such as spatial interferometry requires the realization of single-mode channel waveguides being able to work in the infrared region. One of the key issues in case of channel waveguides is the selection of materials for the core layer. Amorphous telluride films are particularly attractive for their transparency in a large spectral domain in the infrared region. A second key issue is the selection of an appropriate method for film deposition. Indeed, waveguides for far infrared applications are characterized by a thick core layer (10-15 mu m, typically). The challenge is thus to select a deposition method which ensures the deposition of thick films of optical quality. In this paper, it is shown that thermal co-evaporation meets this challenge. In particular, it allows varying the composition of the films very easily and thus adjusting their optical properties (refractive index, optical band gap). The example of thermally co-evaporated Te-Ge films is given. Films with typical thickness of 7-15 mu m were elaborated. Their morphological, structural, thermal and optical properties were measured. A particular attention was paid to the checking of the film homogeneity. The realized waveguiding structures and their optical testing are then described. In particular, the first transmission measurements at 10.6 mu m are presented. In conclusion, the feasibility of micro-components based on the stacking and etching of chalcogenide films is demonstrated, opening the door to applications related to detection in the mid- and thermal infrared spectral domains. (C) 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim