Integrated active devices with improved optical coupling to planarized dielectric waveguides
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- first, second and third elements fabricated on a common substrate;
wherein the first element comprises an active waveguide structure supporting a first optical mode, the second element, characterized by a planarized top surface, comprises a passive waveguide structure supporting a second optical mode, and the third element, at least partly butt-coupled to the first element, comprises an intermediate waveguide structure;
wherein, if the first optical mode differs from the second optical mode by more than a predetermined amount, a tapered waveguide structure in at least one of the second and third elements facilitates efficient adiabatic transformation between the first optical mode and the second optical mode; and
wherein mutual alignments of the first, second and third elements are defined using lithographic alignment marks that facilitate precise alignment between layers formed during processing steps of fabricating the first, second and third elements.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical device comprises first, second and third elements fabricated on a common substrate. The first element comprises an active waveguide structure supporting a first optical mode, the second element comprises a passive waveguide structure, characterized by a planar top surface, supporting a second optical mode, and the third element, at least partly butt-coupled to the first element, comprises an intermediate waveguide structure. If the first optical mode differs from the second optical mode by more than a predetermined amount, a tapered waveguide structure in at least one of the second and third elements facilitates efficient adiabatic transformation between the first optical mode and the second optical mode. Mutual alignments of the first, second and third elements are defined using lithographic alignment marks that facilitate precise alignment between layers formed during processing steps of fabricating the first, second and third elements.
11 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
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first, second and third elements fabricated on a common substrate; wherein the first element comprises an active waveguide structure supporting a first optical mode, the second element, characterized by a planarized top surface, comprises a passive waveguide structure supporting a second optical mode, and the third element, at least partly butt-coupled to the first element, comprises an intermediate waveguide structure; wherein, if the first optical mode differs from the second optical mode by more than a predetermined amount, a tapered waveguide structure in at least one of the second and third elements facilitates efficient adiabatic transformation between the first optical mode and the second optical mode; and wherein mutual alignments of the first, second and third elements are defined using lithographic alignment marks that facilitate precise alignment between layers formed during processing steps of fabricating the first, second and third elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for making a device;
- the method comprising;
forming a first element, comprising a dielectric material, on a substrate; defining a waveguide, configured to support a first optical mode, in the first element; planarizing a top surface of the first element; attaching a second element comprising an active material to the planarized top surface of the first element; defining a waveguide configured to support a second optical mode in the second element where its position relative to the first element is defined by lithographic alignment marks; forming electrical contacts in the second element; and forming, on the substrate, a third element between and in contact with the first and second elements, the position of the third element relative to the first and second element being defined by lithographic alignment marks; and defining an intermediate waveguide in the third element, the intermediate waveguide element being configured to facilitate transformation between the first and second optical modes if the first optical mode differs from the second optical mode by more than a predetermined amount; wherein the third element is at least partly butt-coupled to the second element. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- the method comprising;
Specification