Etching Techniques for the realisation optical micro-cavities on silicon for atom traps

Description/Abstract

We present work focused on the realization of silicon based optical microcavities on silicon. We expect to be able to form "open" cavities between spherical mirrors etched into the silicon and flat mirros placed at the end of a polished optical fibres. By using appropriate isotropic chemical etching technology, spherical mirror can be etched into the silicon, but it is important to minimize surface roughness while maintaining the optimum surface tophography. Two different techniques are used for the fabrication of the spherical mirror: the first is based around the use of a silicon oxide mask, the second uses indentation of the silicon surface using dry etching followed bu wet osptropic etching.