GeBPSG top clad for a planar lightwave circuit

• US 7,160,746 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NeoPhotonics Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lightwave Microsystems Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhong, Fan, Lennon, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): COLEMAN, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/917,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20030021578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,992 Days
• Field of Search: 385/144, 438/31
• US Class Current: 438/31
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/401 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/121 Channel; buried or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/122 Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths

Abstract

A method of depositing a top clad layer for an optical waveguide of a planar lightwave circuit. A GeBPSG top clad layer for an optical waveguide structure of a planar lightwave circuit is fabricated such that the top clad layer comprises doped silica glass, wherein the dopant includes Ge (Germanium), P (Phosphorus), and B (Boron). In depositing a top clad layer for the optical waveguide, three separate doping gasses (e.g., GeH₄, PH₃, and B₂H₆) are added during the PECVD (plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition) process to make Ge, P and B doped silica glass (GeBPSG). The ratio of the Ge, P, and B dopants is configured to reduce the formation of crystallization areas within the top clad layer and maintain a constant refractive index within the top clad layer across an anneal temperature range. A thermal anneal process for the top clad layer can be a temperature within a range of 950C to 1050C. The GeBPSG top clad layer reduces the insertion loss of passive arrayed waveguide grating devices and active planar lightwave circuit devices.

Claims

1. A method of depositing a top clad layer for an optical waveguide of a planer lightwave circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a flow rate for a Ge dopant gas for a SiO₂ tap clad layer deposition;

b) providing a flow rate for a P dopant gas for the top clad layer deposition;

c) providing a flow rate for a B dopant gas for the top clad layer deposition; and

d) controlling the flow rates for the Ge dopant gas, P dopant gas and B dopant gas to form the top clad layer, and wherein controlling the flow rates reduces crystallization areas within the top clad layer and wherein the top clad layer comprises refractive index stability across an anneal temperature range from 900°

C. to 1050°

C.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling of the flow rates for the Ge dopant gas, the P dopant gas, and the B dopant gas is configured to reduce a number of deposition and anneal cycles required for depositing the top clad layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the B dopant gas comprises B₂H₆ or B(OCH₃)₃ trimethyl borate (TMB).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the Ge dopant gas comprises GeH₄, Ge₂H₆ or Ge(C₂H₅O)₄.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the P dopant gas comprises PH₃ or P(CH₃O)₃ trimethyl phosphite (TMP).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein steps a) through d) are used to form the top clad layer of an active planar lightwave circuit device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the flow rate for the P dopant and the B dopant are controlled such that the total weight percent of the P dopant and the B dopant in the top clad layer is greater than about 6.5 percent by weight.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the flow rate for the P dopant is controlled such that the P dopant is present in the top clad layer from about 0.5 percent by weight to about 2.5 percent by weight.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the flow rate for the Ge dopant is controlled such that the Ge dopant is present in the top clad layer from about 1 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the B dopant gas comprises B₂H₆ or B(OCH₃)₃ trimethyl borate (TMB).

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the Ge dopant gas comprises GeH₄, Ge₂H₆ or Ge(C₂H₅O)₄.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the P dopant gas comprises PH₃ or P(CH₃O)₃ trimethyl phosphite (TMP).

14. The method of claim 9, wherein steps a) through d) are used to form, the top clad of an arrayed waveguide grating planar lightwave circuit.

10. A method of depositing a GeBPSG top clad layer for a planar lightwave circuit device, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a flow rate for a Ge dopant gas for a SiO₂ top clad layer deposition;

b) providing a flow rate for a P dopant gas for the top clad layer deposition;

c) providing a flow rate for a B dopant gas for the top clad layer deposition; and

d) controlling the flow rates for the Ge dopant gas, P dopant gas, and B dopant gas to form the top clad layer thereby reducing crystallization areas within the top clad layer and wherein the top clad layer comprises refractive index stability across an anneal temperature range from 900°

C. to 1050°

C.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein steps a) through d) are used to form the top clad of an arrayed waveguide grating planar lightwave circuit.

16. The methodof claim 10 wherein the flow rate for the Ge dopant is controlled such that the Ge is present in the top clad layer from about 1 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight.