Techniques to combine two integrated photonic substrates
AssigneeAcacia Communications, Inc.
InventorsDiedrik Vermeulen, Christopher Doerr
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Abstract
Structures and methods for passively aligning a photonic die with a receiving substrate are described. Three alignment surfaces, having dimensions greater than a desired alignment accuracy, may be formed on the photonic die and used to passively and accurately align the photonic die to a receiving substrate in six degrees of freedom. Two of the three alignment surfaces on the photonic die may be formed in a single mask-and-etch process, while the third alignment surface may require no patterning or etching. Three complementary alignment surfaces on the receiving substrate may be formed in a single mask-and-etch process.
Claims21
A photonic die comprising:
- a mesa;
- a first optical waveguide formed on the mesa;
- wherein the mesa comprises three contact alignment surfaces including a first wedge-shaped surface and two vertical walls contacting respective edges of the first wedge-shaped surface, wherein the three contact alignment surfaces are arranged to contact complementary alignment surfaces on a receiving substrate thereby providing sub-micron passive alignment of the first optical waveguide in at least three degrees of freedom to a second optical waveguide on the receiving substrate.
An apparatus comprising:
- a photonic die including a mesa extending from a planar surface of the photonic die;
- and
- an optical waveguide formed on the mesa, wherein the mesa has a wedge-shaped upper contact alignment surface parallel the planar surface of the photonic die and two additional contact alignment surfaces and wherein the wedge-shaped upper contact alignment surface and the two additional contact alignment surfaces are arranged to contact complementary alignment surfaces on a receiving substrate to provide sub-micron alignment of the optical waveguide to a second waveguide on the receiving substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.