PHOTONIC INTEGRATION PLATFORM
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- forming a first waveguide in an insulation layer of an optical device;
after forming the first waveguide, disposing a crystalline, semiconductor layer on the insulation layer; and
forming a second waveguide in the semiconductor layer, wherein the second waveguide at least partially overlaps the first waveguide in the insulation layer.
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Abstract
A SOI device may include a waveguide adapter that couples light between an external light source—e.g., a fiber optic cable or laser—and a silicon waveguide on the silicon surface layer of the SOI device. In one embodiment, the waveguide adapter is embedded into the insulator layer. Doing so may enable the waveguide adapter to be formed before the surface layer components are added onto the SOI device. Accordingly, fabrication techniques that use high-temperatures may be used without harming other components in the SOI device—e.g., the waveguide adapter is formed before heat-sensitive components are added to the silicon surface layer.
61 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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forming a first waveguide in an insulation layer of an optical device; after forming the first waveguide, disposing a crystalline, semiconductor layer on the insulation layer; and forming a second waveguide in the semiconductor layer, wherein the second waveguide at least partially overlaps the first waveguide in the insulation layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) optical device comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; an insulation layer disposed above the substrate, wherein a waveguide is embedded in the insulation layer; and a crystalline silicon layer above the insulation layer, the silicon layer comprising a silicon waveguide that overlaps the embedded waveguide such that an optical signal transmitted in the embedded waveguide is transferred to the silicon waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An optical system comprising:
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a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) device comprising; a semiconductor substrate, an insulation layer disposed above the substrate, wherein a waveguide is embedded in the insulation layer and terminates at an external coupling surface of the SOI device, and a crystalline silicon layer above the insulation layer, the silicon layer comprising a silicon waveguide that overlaps the embedded waveguide such that an optical signal transmitted in the embedded waveguide is transferred to the silicon waveguide; and an external light source disposed at the external coupling surface, the external light source is configured to introduce an optical signal into the embedded waveguide at the external coupling surface. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An optical waveguide, comprising:
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a first prong; and a plurality of second prongs, wherein the first prong and second prongs are configured to at least one of receive and transmit optical energy via a coupling surface of an optical device, wherein a dimension of the second prongs reduces as the second prongs extend in a direction away from the coupling surface, wherein a dimension of the first prong increases as the first prong extends away from the coupling surface, wherein a length of the first prong in the direction that extends away from the coupling surface is greater than each of the respective lengths of the second prongs.
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Specification