Photonic crystal-based optical elements for integrated circuits and methods therefor
First Claim
1. An optical device comprising:
- a substrate; and
a photonic crystal optical interconnect comprising;
a first cladding layer over the substrate;
a photonic crystal layer over the first cladding layer, the photonic crystal layer comprising at least one photonic crystal element comprising a plurality of pillars being spaced apart from each other; and
a second cladding layer over the photonic crystal layer, wherein the pillars do not extend into the second cladding layer,wherein the photonic crystal element comprises a first region having a first photonic crystal structure, a second region having a second different photonic crystal structure, and a third region having a third photonic crystal structure different from that of the first region and the second region, wherein the difference in photonic crystal structure among the three regions is based on a difference in pillar characteristics including at least a difference in pillar shape or size, said photonic crystal element forming a wavelength filter for the interconnect.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide photonic crystal-based optical elements for integrated circuits. A photonic crystal optical device comprises a substrate and a plurality of pillars forming a photonic crystal structure over the substrate. The pillars are spaced apart from each other. Each pillar has a height and a horizontal cross-sectional shape. A material with a different dielectric constant than the pillars is provided within the spacing between the pillars. According to exemplary embodiments of the invention, the photonic crystal-based optical element can be an optical interconnect, a lens, or a filter. The photonic crystal-based optical element of the invention can be used to transmit solitons.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. An optical device comprising:
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a substrate; and a photonic crystal optical interconnect comprising; a first cladding layer over the substrate; a photonic crystal layer over the first cladding layer, the photonic crystal layer comprising at least one photonic crystal element comprising a plurality of pillars being spaced apart from each other; and a second cladding layer over the photonic crystal layer, wherein the pillars do not extend into the second cladding layer, wherein the photonic crystal element comprises a first region having a first photonic crystal structure, a second region having a second different photonic crystal structure, and a third region having a third photonic crystal structure different from that of the first region and the second region, wherein the difference in photonic crystal structure among the three regions is based on a difference in pillar characteristics including at least a difference in pillar shape or size, said photonic crystal element forming a wavelength filter for the interconnect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An integrated circuit comprising:
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a substrate; a first circuit on the substrate; a second circuit on the substrate; and a photonic crystal optical interconnect comprising; a first cladding layer over the substrate; a photonic crystal layer over the first cladding layer, the photonic crystal layer comprising at least one photonic crystal element for affecting the transmission of electromagnetic radiation from the first circuit to the second circuit, the photonic crystal element comprising a plurality of pillars being spaced apart from each other; and a second cladding layer over the photonic crystal layer, wherein the pillars do not extend into the second cladding layer, wherein the photonic crystal element comprises a first region having a first photonic crystal structure, a second region having a second different photonic crystal structure, and a third region having a third photonic crystal structure different from that of the first region and the second region, wherein the difference in photonic crystal structure among the three regions is based on a difference in pillar characteristics including at least a difference in pillar shape or size, said photonic crystal element forming a wavelength filter for the interconnect. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A processor-based system comprising:
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a processor; and a circuit coupled to the processor, the circuit comprising; a substrate; and a photonic crystal optical interconnect comprising; a first cladding layer over the substrate; a photonic crystal layer over the first cladding layer, the photonic crystal layer comprising at least one photonic crystal element comprising a plurality of pillars being spaced apart from each other; and a second cladding layer over the photonic crystal layer, wherein the pillars do not extend into the second cladding layer, wherein the photonic crystal element comprises a first region having a first photonic crystal structure, a second region having a second different photonic crystal structure, and a third region having a third photonic crystal structure different from that of the first region and the second region, wherein the difference in photonic crystal structure among the three regions is based on a difference in pillar characteristics including at least a difference in pillar shape or size, said photonic crystal element forming a wavelength filter for the interconnect. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. A photonic crystal optical element for a circuit, the optical element comprising:
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a substrate; and a photonic crystal optical interconnect comprising; a first cladding layer over the substrate; a photonic crystal layer over the first cladding layer, the photonic crystal layer comprising at least one photonic crystal element comprising a plurality of pillars being spaced apart from each other; a second cladding layer over the photonic crystal layer, wherein the pillars do not extend into the second cladding layer; and a low dielectric constant material within the spacing between the pillars having a dielectric constant that is lower than a dielectric constant of the pillars, wherein the photonic crystal element comprises a first region having a first photonic crystal structure, a second region having a second different photonic crystal structure, and a third region having a third photonic crystal structure different from that of the first region and the second region, wherein the difference in photonic crystal structure among the three regions is based on a difference in pillar characteristics including at least a difference in pillar shape or size, said photonic crystal element forming a wavelength filter for the interconnect. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of forming a photonic crystal element for a circuit, the method comprising:
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providing a substrate; providing a first cladding layer over the substrate; forming a layer of a photonic crystal material over the first cladding layer; patterning the photonic crystal material layer to form a plurality of pillars, wherein pillars in a first region have a first photonic crystal structure, pillars in a second region have a second different photonic crystal structure, and pillars in a third region have a third photonic crystal structure different from that of the pillars in the first region and the second region, wherein the difference in photonic crystal structure is based on a difference in pillar characteristics including at least a difference in pillar size or shape, said photonic crystal element forming a wavelength filter; placing a low dielectric constant material having a lower dielectric constant than a dielectric constant of the pillars within the spacing between the pillars; and providing a second cladding layer over the photonic crystal material and the low dielectric constant material, wherein the pillars do not extend into the second cladding layer. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification