Silicon-nitride surface passivation of sub-micron silicon waveguides for low-power optical switches

We achieved a two-orders-of-magnitude improvement of free carrier lifetimes in sub-micron silicon-on-insulator waveguides by applying a stoichiometric Si3N4 coating. Such surface passivation is critical for low-power operation of carrier-injected optical switches. © 2009 Optical Society of America.