Laser patterned adapters with waveguides and etched connectors for low cost alignment of optics to chips

A substrate, comprising:

• a light-transmissive material having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side;
• a plurality of dies defined in the light-transmissive material, each die of the plurality of dies including:
• a first pattern imparted on the light-transmissive material by a laser, wherein the first pattern extends into the light-transmissive material from the first side, the first pattern defining a patterned region of the light-transmissive material and an un-patterned region of the light-transmissive material, wherein a chemical structure of the patterned region has an increased reactivity to an etchant relative to the un-patterned region, and wherein the patterned region defines an engagement feature in the un-patterned region that is configured to engage with a mating feature on a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC);
• a second pattern imparted on the light-transmissive material by the laser, wherein the second pattern extends to neither the first side nor the second side, the second pattern defining a waveguide within the light-transmissive material resulting from a laser induced change in the chemical structure of the second pattern, wherein the waveguide is aligned relative to the engagement feature to optically couple with an integrated waveguide of the PIC;
• and
• a third pattern imparted on the light-transmissive material by the laser, wherein the third pattern extends into the light-transmissive material from the first side, the third pattern defining a second patterned region of the light-transmissive material and a second un-patterned region of the light-transmissive material, wherein a chemical structure of the second patterned region has an increased reactivity to the etchant relative to the second un-patterned region, and wherein the second patterned region defines a cable connector with the patterned region.

A substrate, comprising:

• a light-transmissive material having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side including:
• a first pattern imparted on the light-transmissive material by a laser, wherein:
• the first pattern extends into the light-transmissive material from the first side, the first pattern defining a patterned region of the light-transmissive material and an un-patterned region of the light-transmissive material,
• the patterned region has a chemical structure that was changed by the laser, wherein the chemical structure has an increased reactivity to an etchant relative to the un-patterned region, and
• the patterned region defines an engagement feature in the un-patterned region that is configured to engage with a mating feature on a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) after the patterned region has been removed using the etchant;
• and
• a second pattern imparted on the light-transmissive material by the laser, wherein:
• the second pattern extends to neither the first side nor the second side, the second pattern defining a waveguide within the light-transmissive material,
• a change in the chemical structure of the second pattern is caused by the laser, and
• the waveguide is aligned relative to the engagement feature to optically couple with an integrated waveguide of the PIC.