Integrated circuit coupling system with waveguide circuitry and method of manufacture thereof

• US 9,329,346 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NeoPhotonics Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NeoPhotonics Corporation (Lumentum Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Won, Jongik, Tseng, Hsiang En, Martinez, Luis, Ticknor, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geyer, Scott B
• Application Number:
  US14/705,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20150234124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/136 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/262 Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/30 for use between fibre and thin-film device
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/34 utilising prism or grating G02B6/293 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit coupling system includes: forming a waveguide assembly, having a top clad over an open end of an optical core; forming a first photoresist having a base photoresist pattern shape with sloped photoresist sidewalls tapered down to expose a portion of the top clad; forming a recess having clad sidewalls from the portion of the top clad exposed by the base photoresist pattern shape, the clad sidewalls having a shape replicating a shape of the base photo resist pattern shape; and forming an optical vertical insertion area, from the clad sidewalls forming the recess, having a pocket trench, a horizontal step, and a mirror with a reflective material selectively applied to a section of the clad sidewalls and exposing the open end opposite to the mirror, the horizontal step between the mirror and the pocket trench.

Claims

1. An integrated circuit coupling system comprising:

a substrate;

a top clad having clad sidewalls over the substrate;

an optical core having an open end between the substrate and the top clad; and

an optical vertical insertion area having a mirror, a horizontal step, and a pocket trench formed, through the top clad, below and between the open end and the mirror opposite the open end exposed in the optical vertical insertion area, the horizontal step between the mirror and the pocket trench;

an interface structure mounted over the optical vertical insertion area; and

wherein;

the substrate is below the optical core.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the optical vertical insertion area includes the horizontal step between the open end and the pocket trench.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a transparent backfill covering the optical vertical insertion area.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a semiconductor component mounted over the optical vertical insertion area.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a multicore optical fiber optically coupled through the optical vertical insertion area.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a lid over and hermetically sealing the optical vertical insertion area.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a prism mounted over the optical vertical insertion area.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a back-illuminated photodiode mounted over the optical vertical insertion area.