WAVEGUIDE MODE EXPANDER HAVING AN AMORPHOUS-SILICON SHOULDER
First Claim
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1. A method for manufacturing a waveguide mode expander, the method comprising:
- providing a substrate having a device layer disposed on the substrate;
applying photoresist on the device layer;
etching the device layer to form a first recess, the first recess having a shape of a first pattern;
removing photoresist from the device layer;
filling the first recess with non-crystalline silicon to form a shoulder;
etching the device layer to define a waveguide;
etching the shoulder, wherein the shoulder to align with the waveguide;
covering the shoulder with cladding;
applying photoresist on the cladding;
etching the cladding to form a second recess, the second recess having a shape of a second pattern;
removing photoresist from the cladding; and
filling the second recess with non-crystalline silicon, wherein;
the non-crystalline silicon forms a ridge of the waveguide mode expander;
the shoulder is between the substrate and the ridge; and
the ridge has a narrower width than the shoulder.
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Abstract
A waveguide mode expander couples a smaller optical mode in a semiconductor waveguide to a larger optical mode in an optical fiber. The waveguide mode expander comprises a shoulder and a ridge. In some embodiments, the ridge of the waveguide mode expander has a plurality of stages, the plurality of stages having different widths at a given cross section.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing a waveguide mode expander, the method comprising:
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providing a substrate having a device layer disposed on the substrate; applying photoresist on the device layer; etching the device layer to form a first recess, the first recess having a shape of a first pattern; removing photoresist from the device layer; filling the first recess with non-crystalline silicon to form a shoulder; etching the device layer to define a waveguide; etching the shoulder, wherein the shoulder to align with the waveguide; covering the shoulder with cladding; applying photoresist on the cladding; etching the cladding to form a second recess, the second recess having a shape of a second pattern; removing photoresist from the cladding; and filling the second recess with non-crystalline silicon, wherein; the non-crystalline silicon forms a ridge of the waveguide mode expander; the shoulder is between the substrate and the ridge; and the ridge has a narrower width than the shoulder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification