An all-silicon optical platform based on linear array of vertical high-aspect-ratio silicon/air photonic crystals

An all-silicon optical platform (SiOP) that integrates a linear array of vertical (100-μm–deep) one-dimensional photonic crystals (1D-PhCs), with a different number of elementary silicon/air cells (from 2.5 to 11.5) and featuring a transmission peak around 1.55 μm, together with U-grooves (125-μm-wide) and end-stop-spacers for coupling/positioning/alignment of readout optical fibers in front of 1D-PhCs is reported. The SiOP is fabricated by electrochemical micromachining and characterized by measuring both reflection and transmission spectra of 1D-PhCs. An experimental/theoretical analysis of 1D-PhC features (transmissivity, quality factor, full-width-half-maximum) in transmission, around 1.55 μm, as a function of the number of elementary cells is reported.