Rigorous characterization of silicon nanowire for compact nanophotonic devices

The high index contrast of silicon waveguide allows light confinement in submicron size waveguides along with very compact bends, to allow increased functionality of photonic integrated circuits. A rigorous H-field based full-vectorial modal analysis has been carried out, which is used more accurately to characterize the abrupt dielectric discontinuity of a silicon optical waveguide with a high refractive index contrast. Full-vectorial H and E-field profiles are also illustrated in detail. It is shown here that the mode profile of a circular silicon nanowire is itself not circular and has a strong axial field component. The single mode operation and modal ellipticity of this silicon nanowire are presented here. The modal hybridness and birefringence of rectangular silicon nanowires are also presented.