Materials Processing for Heterogeneous Integration of Optical Isolators

This SBIR project is developing magnetless thin film magneto-optic (MO) materials processing and fabrication techniques for the heterogeneous integration of optical isolators. Integrated optic isolators based on these films have potential to be simpler, more reliable, and more compact relative to those based on materials that require an external magnetic field. In this proposal, a magnetless isolator device will be designed, prototyped and tested as a heterogeneously integrated device on a silicon photonic substrate. Device specifications are isolation better than 20 dB and on-chip optical loss less than 6 dB. The isolator device will be combined with a laser and integrated optic modulator to demonstrate the isolator in an RF over fiber transmitter application. Heterogeneous integrated RF over fiber components on aerial platforms are of particular interest due to the potential benefits of high performance, improved reliability, increased EMI immunity, and reduction of weight and cost. The compact integrated optical isolator is seen as a key technology to achieve these benefits.