Deuterated silicon dioxide for heterogeneous integration of ultra-low-loss waveguides.

Ultra-low-loss waveguide fabrication typically requires high-temperature annealing beyond 1000°C to reduce the hydrogen content in deposited dielectric films. However, realizing the full potential of an ultra-low loss will require the integration of active materials that cannot tolerate high temperature. Uniting ultra-low-loss waveguides with on-chip sources, modulators, and detectors will require a low-temperature, low-loss dielectric to serve as a passivation and spacer layers for complex fabrication processes.