Case study: How researchers use Santec's OFDR instruments to analyze basic photonic components
Case Study: Foam‑Layer Photonic Component Analysis
Japanese researchers use Santec OFDR instruments to characterize reflection, insertion loss, and spatial features in silica waveguide components and silicon‑photonic (SiPh) test structures using high‑resolution swept‑laser reflectometry and spectroscopy.
The study demonstrates how Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR) can be used to precisely characterize silicon photonic components, including:
- Wire waveguides
- Wide quasi-single-mode waveguides
- 180° bends and waveguide crossings
- Photonic crystal waveguides (PCWs)
- MMI couplers
At the heart of the measurements was the SPA-110, providing:
✅ High dynamic range
✅ Sub-10 μm spatial resolution
✅ Ultra-stable wavelength sweep
✅ Built-in polarization control and fiber-coupled interface
“The SPA-110 enabled a fast, accurate, and detailed evaluation of waveguide losses and group index with statistical rigor — far beyond conventional transmission methods.”
— Excerpt from the study
This work highlights the SPA-110's role as a trusted OFDR solution for next-generation photonic IC characterization, R&D, and manufacturing.