Fabrication and characterization of Ge20Sb15Se65 chalcogenide glass rib waveguides for telecommunication wavelengths

We report on the fabrication and optical properties of Ge20Sb15Se65 chalcogenide glass rib waveguides on a single photonic chip. Radio-frequency magnetron sputtering method is employed to deposit 1.36-μm-thick films and reactive ion etching with CHF3 is used to pattern 0.76-μm-deep rib waveguides of 1-4 μm wide with low surface roughness and vertical sidewalls. Using lensed fibers, the insertion losses for rib waveguides of different widths are measured and propagation losses are estimated to be lower than 1 dB/cm. Finite difference method simulations and refractive index/curve fitting are used to observe a moderate normal dispersion of the waveguides at 1550 nm.