Low-loss compact multilayer silicon nitride platform for 3D photonic integrated circuits

We design, fabricate, and demonstrate a silicon nitride (Si3N4) multilayer platform optimized for low-loss and compact multilayer photonic integrated circuits. The designed platform, with 200 nm thick waveguide core and 700 nm interlayer gap, is compatible for active thermal tuning and applicable to realizing compact photonic devices such as arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs). We achieve ultra-low loss vertical couplers with 0.01 dB coupling loss, multilayer crossing loss of 0.167 dB at 90 degrees crossing angle, 50 mu m bending radius, 100 x 2 mu m(2) footprint, lateral misalignment tolerance up to 400 nm, and less than -52 dB interlayer crosstalk at 1550 nm wavelength. Based on the designed platform, we demonstrate a 27 x 32 x 2 multilayer star coupler. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America