Sub-microns period grating couplers fabricated by silicon mold

This paper describes a novel simple process suitable for fabrication of micro-periodic structure in optical waveguide. The mold was fabricated using electron beam lithography and fast atom beam etching. Sub-micron-scale patterns were transferred from silicon mold to polymer layer. Grating coupler was fabricated by the mold and normal optical mask. In the proposed method, no press which is needed for imprint lithography is required and the mold structure can be duplicated with high aspect ratio. Experimental coupling efficiency is about 25%. This technique can also be used to fabricate other nanometer-scale structures.