# US 12,001,055 B2 · Grating, method for manufacturing grating, and optical waveguide > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,001,055 B2 - Document ID: US12001055B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/835,877 - Filed: 2022-06-08 - Published: 2023-06-22 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-21 - Assignees: AAC Optics (Nanning) Co., Ltd. - Applicants: AAC Optics (Nanning) Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Biming Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12001055B2 ## CPC - G02B 6/13: Integrated optical circuits characterised by the manufacturing method - G02B 5/1857: {using exposure or etching means, e.g. holography, photolithography, exposure to electron or ion beams} - G02B 6/124: Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings - G02B 6/132: by deposition of thin films - G02B 6/136: by etching - G02B 2006/12085: {Integrated} - G02B 2006/12107: {Grating} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A method for manufacturing a grating, a grating manufactured by the method, and an optical waveguide including the grating are provided. The method includes the following. A substrate is provided. A mask layer is formed on a surface of the substrate according to a target pattern structure of the grating, where the mask layer has a pattern structure complementary to the target pattern structure, and the pattern structure includes multiple protrusions and multiple recessed regions. A grating is formed by depositing a semiconductor material on the surface of the substrate. The semiconductor material is deposited in the multiple recessed regions of the pattern structure of the mask layer to form the target pattern structure. The mask layer is removed by lift-off. The method provided herein is simple in process and can enhance production efficiency. The manufactured grating has a relatively high refractive index and can reduce light scattering. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a grating, comprising: providing a substrate; forming, according to a target pattern structure of the grating, a mask layer on a surface of the substrate, wherein the mask layer has a pattern structure complementary to the target pattern structure, and the pattern structure comprises a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recessed regions, wherein the grating has a period in a range of 125 nm to 600 nm, and has a duty cycle in a range of 30% to 70%; forming the grating by depositing a semiconductor material on the surface of the substrate on which the mask layer is provided, wherein the semiconductor material is deposited in the plurality of recessed regions of the pattern structure of the mask layer to form the grating having the target pattern structure, wherein the grating is thinner than the mask layer; and removing the mask layer by lift-off; wherein forming the mask layer comprises: coating, on the surface of the substrate, a photoresist layer as a sacrificial layer; coating a curing adhesive layer on a surface of the sacrificial layer away from the substrate; performing nano-imprint on the curing adhesive layer; and performing exposing and developing on the sacrificial layer and a remaining curing adhesive layer on the sacrificial layer, wherein a developed sacrificial layer and a developed curing adhesive layer cooperatively form the pattern structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein forming the mask layer comprises: coating, on the surface of the substrate, a photoresist layer as a sacrificial layer; and performing exposing and developing on the sacrificial layer in such a manner that the pattern structure is formed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the mask layer has a thickness in a range of 200 nm to 500 nm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein performing the exposing and the developing comprises: dividing, according to the pattern structure, the substrate into a plurality of first portions and a plurality of second portions by defining a vertical direction of the substrate as a projection direction, wherein a projection of the plurality of first portions is overlapped with that of the plurality of protrusions, and a projection of the plurality of second portions is overlapped with that of the plurality of recessed regions; and removing a part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions by adopting a positive tone development scheme or a negative tone development scheme, comprising: in response to the positive tone development scheme being adopted: performing exposing on the part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions to harden the part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions, and removing the part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions with a positive-tone developer solution; and in response to the negative tone development scheme being adopted: performing exposing on another part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of first portions to harden the another part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of first portions, and removing the part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions with a negative tone developer solution. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mask layer has a thickness in a range of 400 nm to 1000 nm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein performing the exposing and the developing comprises: dividing, according to the pattern structure, the substrate into a plurality of first portions and a plurality of second portions by defining a vertical direction of the substrate as a projection direction, wherein a projection of the plurality of first portions is overlapped with that of the plurality of protrusions, and a projection of the plurality of second portions is overlapped with that of the plurality of recessed regions; and removing a part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions by adopting a positive tone development scheme or a negative tone development scheme, comprising: in response to the positive tone development scheme being adopted: performing exposing on the part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions to harden the part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions, and removing the part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions with a positive-tone developer solution; and in response to the negative tone development scheme being adopted: performing exposing on another part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of first portions to harden the another part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of first portions, and removing the part of the photoresist layer corresponding to the plurality of second portions with a negative tone developer solution. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material comprises any material selected from a group consisting of titanium oxide (TiOx), chromic oxide (Cr2O3), Lithium niobate (LiNbO3), Titanium Silicon Oxide (TiSiOx), silicon carbide (SiC), Zinc Selenide (ZnSe), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), and Gallium Phosphide (GaP). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the semiconductor material is deposited by atomic layer deposition, electron beam evaporation, ion beam sputtering, magnetron sputtering, or chemical vapor deposition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material is deposited by atomic layer deposition, electron beam evaporation, ion beam sputtering, magnetron sputtering, or chemical vapor deposition.