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In this Letter, we demonstrate that the mode cut off of a photonic crystal waveguide can be trimmed with high accuracy by electron beam bleaching of a chromophore doped polymer cladding. Using this method, configurable waveguides are realized, which allow for spatially resolved changes of the photonic crystal's effective lattice constant as small as 7.6 pm. We show three different examples how to take advantage of configurable photonic crystal waveguides: Shifting of the complete transmission spectrum, definition of cavities with high quality factor, and tuning of existing cavities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silicon/organic hybrid modulator integrating photonic crystal (PC) waveguide, 75 nm slot, and electro-optic (EO) polymer is experimentally demonstrated. Slow light in PC waveguide and strong field confinement in slot waveguide enable ultraefficient EO modulation with a record-low Vπ×L of 0.56 V mm and an in-device effective r33 of 132 pm/V. This result makes it the most efficient EO polymer modulator demonstrated to date. The modulated signal shows strong wavelength dependence and peak enhancement of 23 dB near the band edge of defect mode, which confirms the signature of the slow light effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two dimensional photonic crystal waveguides in high index materials enable integrated optical devices with an extremely small geometrical footprint on the scale of micrometers. Slotted waveguides are based on the guiding of light in low refractive index materials and a field enhancement in this particular region of the device. In this letter we experimentally demonstrate electro-optic modulation in slotted photonic crystal waveguides based on silicon-on-insulator substrates covered and infiltrated with nonlinear optical polymers. A photonic crystal heterostructure is used to create a cavity, while simultaneously serving as an electrical connection from the slot to the metal electrodes that carry the modulation signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on an electro-optic modulator fabricated from a silicon slot waveguide and clad in a nonlinear polymer. In this geometry, the electrodes form parts of the waveguide, and the modulator driving voltage drops across a 120 nm slot. As a result, a half wave voltage of 0.25 V is achieved near 1550 nm. This is one of the lowest values for any modulator obtained to date. As the nonlinear polymers are extremely resistive, our device also has the advantage of drawing almost no current, suggesting this type of modulator could operate at exceedingly low power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]