Method of manufacturing an optical device with a groove accurately formed

• US 5,961,683 A
• Filed: 01/10/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Nishimoto, Hiroshi, Mizuta, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFFMANN, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US08/781,810
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 65/386, 65/407, 385/49
• US Class Current: 65/386
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12176 Etching
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/30 for use between fibre and thin-film device

Abstract

A first layer (2) and a second layer (3) are formed on a substrate (1). The first layer is made of a resist against a groove-sculpturing etchant used in etching the substrate while the second layer is made of an anti-corrosive material against dry etching. The second layer is at first patterned into a patterned second layer (3a) in the form of a groove-sculpturing mask pattern (8). With the patterned second layer used as a mask, the first layer is etched and patterned into a patterned first layer (2a) in the form of the above-mentioned mask pattern. With the patterned first layer used as a mask, the substrate is etched to form a groove (9).

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an optical device having a groove, comprising the steps of:

forming, on a substrate, a first layer of a first resist comprising silicon nitride to serve to mask groove-sculpting etching;

forming, on a part of said first layer, a second layer of a second resist, said second resist comprising an upper plane, and said second resist being selected to be resistant to dry etching, and said second layer being patterned to define a groove area and shape;

carrying out a first etching of said first layer located within said groove area to expose an area of said substrate;

carrying out a second etching of said area of said substrate located within said groove area thereby to form a groove for accepting an optical fiber; and

subsequent to said forming a second layer, forming an optical waveguide layer at a plane above said upper plane.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second resist comprises a material selected from the group consisting of chromium, tungsten, tungsten silicide, and gold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in said step of forming a second layer of a second resist, said second resist is further selected as an electric wiring material, and wherein said second layer is further patterned to define an electric wiring.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of forming an optical waveguide layer at a plane above said upper plane comprises the further step of forming the waveguide layer on a lower cladding layer having a thickness between 10 to 20 micrometers and overlying said first and second layers.