Photonic crystals using a semiconductor-based fabrication process

• US 6,795,231 B1
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koscielniak, Waclaw C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRA, TUYEN Q
• Application Number:
  US10/634,179
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 359/321, 359/245, 359/250, 359/332, 359/238, 359/344, 359/585, 359/586, 359/587, 359/588
• US Class Current: 359/321
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/1225 comprising photonic band-gap structures or photonic lattices

Abstract

A photonic crystal is formed on a semiconductor substrate using a semiconductor-based fabrication process by forming a number of alternating layers of material that have different dielectric constants. The layers of material are then etched to form a number of spaced-apart stacks of alternating layers of material. An interstack material is then formed between the stacks.

Claims

1. A photonic crystal formed on a semiconductor substrate, the substrate having a receiving region, the photonic crystal comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart photonic stacks formed over the receiving region of the substrate, the photonic stacks having top surfaces, each photonic stack having a plurality of layers of material that alternate between a first layer of material and a second layer of material, the first layer of material having a first dielectric constant, the second layer of material having a second dielectric constant; and

an interstack material formed over the substrate between and adjoining the plurality of photonic stacks.

2. The crystal of claim 1 wherein the first layer of material is a dielectric.

3. The crystal of claim 1 wherein the interstack material has a top surface that is substantially coplanar with the top surfaces of the stacks.

4. The crystal of claim 1 wherein the interstack material has a top surface that is above the top surfaces of the stacks.

5. The crystal of claim 1 wherein the layer of interstack material is a dielectric having a dielectric constant that is equal to the dielectric constant of the layer of first material.

6. The crystal of claim 1 wherein the layer of interstack material is a dielectric having a dielectric constant that is different from the dielectric constant of the layer of first material.