Abstract: In this paper we experimentally studied the influence of geometrical parameters of the planar O-ring resonators on its Q-factor and losses. We systematically changed the gap between the bus waveguide and the ring, as well as the width of the ring. We found the highest Q = 5×105 for gap 2.0 μm and the ring width 2 μm. This work is important for further on-chip SFWM applications since the generation rate of the biphoton field strongly depends on the quality factor as Q3

Abstract: We report on the development and fabrication of a contra-directional coupler based on the Bragg waveguide on Si3N4 platform. Transmitted and reflected by the contra-directional coupler spectra were measured. The reflected spectra exactly matches the one notched by the main channel of the coupler. Losses are about 3dB, coupling to the directing branch of the coupler is practically lossless. FWHM of the transmitted (reflected) spectra is 3.46 nm.

Abstract: We present our recent achievements in the development of an on-chip spectrometer consisting of arrayed waveguide grating made of Si3N4 waveguides and NbN superconducting single-photon detector.

Abstract: The fast switching time of Ge-Sb-Te thin films between amorphous and crystalline states initiated by laser beam as well as significant change of their optical properties and the preservation of metastable states for tens of years open wide perspectives for the application of these materials to fully optical devices [1], including high-speed optical memory [2]. Here we study optical properties of the Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST225) thin films integrated with on-chip silicon nitride O-ring resonator. The rib waveguide of the resonator was formed the first stage of e-beam lithography and subsequent reactive-ion etching. We used the second stage of e-beam lithography combining with lift-off method for the formation of GST225 active region on the resonator ring surface. The amorphous GST225 thin films were prepared by magnetron sputtering, and were capped by thin silicon oxide on their tops. The length of the GST225 active region varied from 0.1 to 20 μ m. Crystallization of amorphous thin films was carried out at the temperature of 400 °C for 30 minutes. Auger electron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used for studying composition and structure of investigated GST225thin films, respectively. It was observed that crystallization of amorphous GST225 film lead to a decrease of the optical power, transmitted through the waveguide. Comparison of the optical transmittance of O-ring resonators before and after the GST225 deposition allowed to identify the change in the Q-factor and the wavelength peak shift. This can be explained by the differences of the complex refractive indexes of GST225 thin films in the amorphous and crystalline states. From the measurement data, the GST225 effective refractive index was extracted depending on the ring waveguide width of the resonator for a telecommunication wavelength of 1550 nm.

Abstract: Abstract. A theory of spontaneous four-wave mixing in a ring microcavity is developed. The rate of emission of biphotons for pulsed and monochromatic pumping with allowance for the disper- sion of group velocities is analytically calculated. In the first case, pulses in the form of an increasing exponential are considered, which are optimal for excitation of an individual resonator mode. The behaviour of the group velocity dispersion as a function of the width and height of the waveguide is studied for a specific case of a ring microcavity made of silicon nitride. The results of the numeri- cal calculation are in good agreement with the experimental data. The ring microcavity is made of two types of waveguides: com- pletely etched and half etched. It is found that the latter allow for better control over the parameters in the manufacturing process, making them more predictable.

Abstract: We have measured the energy relaxation times from the electron bath to the phonon bath in strongly disordered TiN films grown by atomic layer deposition. The measured values of τ eph vary from 12 to 91 ns. Over a temperature range from 3.4 to 1.7 K, they follow T -3 temperature dependence, which are consistent with values of τ eph reported previously for sputtered TiN films. For the most disordered film, with an effective elastic mean free path of 0.35 nm, we find a faster relaxation and a stronger temperature dependence, which may be an additional indication of the influence of strong disorder on a superconductor.

Abstract: The topic of superconductivity in strongly disordered materials has attracted significant attention. These materials appear to be rather promising for fabrication of various nanoscale devices such as bolometers and transition edge sensors of electromagnetic radiation. The vividly debated subject of intrinsic spatial inhomogeneity responsible for the non-Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer relation between the superconducting gap and the pairing potential is crucial both for understanding the fundamental issues of superconductivity in highly disordered superconductors, and for the operation of corresponding nanoelectronic devices. Here we report an experimental study of the electron transport properties of narrow NbN nanowires with effective cross sections of the order of the debated inhomogeneity scales. The temperature dependence of the critical current follows the textbook Ginzburg-Landau prediction for the quasi-one-dimensional superconducting channel I c approximately (1-T/T c)(3/2). We find that conventional models based on the the phase slip mechanism provide reasonable fits for the shape of R(T) transitions. Better agreement with R(T) data can be achieved assuming the existence of short 'weak links' with slightly reduced local critical temperature T c. Hence, one may conclude that an 'exotic' intrinsic electronic inhomogeneity either does not exist in our structures, or, if it does exist, it does not affect their resistive state properties, or does not provide any specific impact distinguishable from conventional weak links.