Optical ready substrates

• US 7,110,629 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: West, Lawrence C., Maydan, Dan, Broydo, Samuel, Bjorkman, Claes
• Primary Examiner(s): HAHM, SARAH UH YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/623,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20040114853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 385/14, 385129-132
• US Class Current: 385/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12 of the integrated circuit kind electric integrated circuits H01L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/12004 Combinations of two or more optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/30 for use between fibre and thin-film device
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4204 the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208, H01L33/52
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4214 the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device G02B6/4246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4245 Mounting of the opto-electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4257 having a supporting carrier or a mounting substrate or a mounting plate G02B6/3648 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4274 Electrical aspects G02B6/4263 and G02B6/4265 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4283 with electrical insulation means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/84 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. being an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1203 the substrate comprising an insulating body on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI three-dimensional layout H01L27/0688

Abstract

An article of manufacture comprising an optical-ready substrate made of a first semiconductor layer, an insulating layer on top of the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on top of the insulating layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer has a top surface and is laterally divided into two regions including a first region and a second region, the top surface of the first region being of a quality that is sufficient to permit microelectronic circuitry to be formed therein and the second region including an optical signal distribution circuit formed therein, the optical signal distribution circuit made up of interconnected semiconductor photonic elements and designed to provide signals to the microelectronic circuit to be fabricated in the first region of the second semiconductor layer.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising an optical-ready substrate made of a first semiconductor layer, an insulating layer on top of the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on top of the insulating layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer has a top surface and is laterally divided into two regions including a first region and a second region, the top surface of the first region into which fabrication of microelectronic circuitry has not yet begun being of a quality that is sufficient to permit microelectronic circuitry to be fabricated therein at a later time and said second region including an optical signal distribution circuit formed therein, said optical signal distribution circuit made up of semiconductor photonic elements interconnected by an optical waveguide made of a material that is transparent to an optical signal characterized by a wavelength of about 850 nanometers or less, said optical distribution circuit designed to provide signals to the microelectronic circuitry to be fabricated in the first region of the second semiconductor layer at said later time.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the second semiconductor layer comprises silicon.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 2 wherein the optical waveguide includes a core made of a material selected from the group consisting of silica and silicon oxynitride.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 3 wherein the core comprises silica.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 4 wherein the silica of the core is doped with GeO₂.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 3 wherein the optical waveguide includes a cladding material surrounding the core.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the cladding material comprises silica.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the semiconductor photonic elements of the optical signal distribution circuit include an optical element coupled to the optical waveguide for delivering signals carried by the waveguide to the microelectronic circuitry.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8 wherein said output element is an optical detector which converts optical signals to electrical signals.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the optical signal distribution network is an optical clock signal distribution network.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10 wherein the insulating layer comprises a silicon oxide.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises silicon.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the combination of the first semiconductor layer, the insulating layer, and the second semiconductor layer is an SOI structure.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the second region of the second semiconductor layer is thicker than the first region of the second semiconductor layer.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein the top surface of the first region is of a quality that is sufficient to permit CMOS circuitry to be formed therein at the later time.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein at least the topside of the first semiconductor chip comprises silicon.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein the optical waveguide includes a core made of a material selected from the group consisting of silica and silicon oxynitride.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the core comprises silica.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein the silica of the core is doped with GeO₂.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the optical waveguide includes a cladding material surrounding the core.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20 wherein the cladding material comprises silica.