Method for fabricating electronic and photonic devices on a semiconductor substrate

• US 7,811,844 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Giunta, Joe, Carothers, Daniel N., Pomerene, Andrew T. S., Vu, Vu A., Ishii, Jonathan N., Hill, Craig M., Kamocsai, Robert, Conway, Timothy J., Thompson, Rick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem D
• Application Number:
  US12/201,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 438/31, 438/311, 257/347, 257/E27.112, 257/E21.32, 257/E21.545, 257/E21.561, 257/E21.564, 257/E21.002, 273/47, 27E/271.12, 27E/215.45, 27E/215.61
• US Class Current: 438/31
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0617 comprising components of the field-effect type H01L27/0251 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for fabricating photonic and electronic devices on a substrate is disclosed. Multiple slabs are initially patterned and etched on a layer of a substrate. An electronic device is fabricated on a first one of the slabs and a photonic device is fabricated on a second one of the slabs, such that the electronic device and the photonic device are formed on the same layer of the substrate.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating integrated circuits, said method comprising:

providing a substrate having an epi layer, an oxide layer, and a nitride layer sequentially formed thereon;

patterning and etching said epi layer, said oxide layer and said nitride layer to form a plurality of pre-slabs on said substrate;

selectively forming a waveguide resist (WGR) mask on one of said pre-slabs to assist a formation of a modulator;

etching said epi layer further to form a plurality of slabs, wherein said etching is performed by using said WGR mask on said one pre-slab and by using said nitride layer on said remaining pre-slabs as a hard mask;

removing said WGR mask from said substrate, wherein said nitride layer is located directly above said modulator having a thickness that is greater than the thickness of said nitride layer on remaining slabs;

growing an oxide layer on sidewalls of said slabs; and

fabricating an electronic device on a first one of said slabs and a photonic device on a second one of said slabs, such that said electronic and photonic devices are formed on said substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said epi layer is a single crystal semiconductor layer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said epi layer is an amorphous semiconductor layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said epi layer is a polycrystaline semiconductor layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a field-effect transistor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said photonic device is a waveguide.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said photonic device is a modulator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said photonic device is a demodulator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said slabs formed from said one pre-slab has a shape of an inverted “

T”

.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further includes depositing a second oxide layer on said slabs, after said sidewall oxide growing, to serve as a cladding layer for photonic devices and to serve as shallow trench isolation fill for electronic devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said method further includes

removing said cladding layer on top of said slabs;

and

removing said nitride layer on top of said slabs before said fabricating devices.