Low loss optical interfaces on a hybrid silicon motherboard

We report on demonstrations of low optical loss at each of the three major optical interfaces which make up a silicon hybrid optical motherboard. Demountable connectors have been made which enable sub-micron alignment of fibres and waveguides, with total fibre-to-fibre losses below 3 dB. MQW lasers have been passively aligned to silica waveguides to give a coupling loss of only 6 dB, and losses below 3 dB have been obtained for photodetectors passively aligned to waveguides. We also report on the hybrid integration of control and amplification electronics.