# US 12,222,554 B2 · Fiber-to-chip grating coupler for photonic circuits

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- Number: US 12,222,554 B2
- Document ID: US12222554B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/417,858
- Filed: 2024-01-19
- Published: 2024-05-09
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-29
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Feng-Wei Kuo; Lan-Chou Cho; Huan-Neng Chen; Chewn-Pu Jou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222554B2

## CPC

- E04B 1/8409: {sheet-shaped}
- G02B 6/34: utilising prism or grating {(G02B6/293 takes precedence)}
- E04B 1/86: slab-shaped
- E04B 2/7409: {special measures for sound or thermal insulation, including fire protection}
- E04C 2/043: {of plaster (E04C2/049 takes precedence)}
- E04C 2/288: composed of insulating material and concrete, stone or stone-like material
- G02B 6/124: Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings
- G02B 6/30: for use between fibre and thin-film device
- 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)}
- G10K 11/168: Plural layers of different materials, e.g. sandwiches
- B32B 9/002: {comprising natural stone or artificial stone}
- B32B 2607/00: Walls, panels
- C01F 11/46: Sulfates (dehydration of gypsum {for the production of calcium sulfate cements} C04B11/02)
- E04B 2001/8461: {layered}
- E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001})
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- E04C: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S)
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- C01F: COMPOUNDS OF THE METALS BERYLLIUM, MAGNESIUM, ALUMINIUM, CALCIUM, STRONTIUM, BARIUM, RADIUM, THORIUM, OR OF THE RARE-EARTH METALS (metal hydrides {monoborane, diborane or addition complexes thereof} C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts of peroxyacids C01B15/00; sulfides or polysulfides of magnesium, calcium, strontium, or barium C01B17/42; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; {compounds other than ammonia or cyanogen containing nitrogen and non-metals and optionally metals C01B21/082; amides or imides of silicon C01B21/087}; metal {imides or} amides C01B21/092, {C01B21/0923}; nitrites C01B21/50; {compounds of noble gases C01B23/0005}; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; compounds having molecular sieve properties but not having base-exchange properties C01B37/00; compounds having molecular sieve and base-exchange properties, e.g. crystalline zeolites, C01B39/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanic acid C01C3/14; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20; {double sulfates of magnesium with sodium or potassium C01D5/12; with other alkali metals C01D15/00, C01D17/00})

## Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for communication using an efficient fiber-to-chip grating coupler with a high coupling efficiency. In one embodiment, a method for communication, includes: transmitting optical signals between a semiconductor photonic die on a substrate and an optical fiber array attached to the substrate using at least one corresponding grating coupler on the semiconductor photonic die, wherein the at least one grating coupler each comprises a plurality of coupling gratings, a waveguide, a cladding layer, a first reflection layer and a second reflection layer, wherein the plurality of coupling gratings each comprises at least one step in a first lateral direction and extends in a second lateral direction, wherein the first and second lateral directions are parallel to a surface of the substrate and perpendicular to each other in a grating plane, wherein the first reflection layers are configured such that the plurality of coupling gratings is disposed between the first reflection layer and the cladding layer, wherein the second reflection layer are configured such that the cladding layer is disposed between the second reflection layer and the waveguide.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of making an apparatus for optical communication, the method comprising:
depositing a first metal layer on a semiconductor substrate;
forming a first dielectric layer on the first metal layer;
forming a silicon layer on the first dielectric layer;
patterning the silicon layer to create a plurality of gratings, each of the plurality of gratings comprising a first trench, a pillar and a second trench disposed between the first trench and the pillar, wherein a first pillar of a first coupling grating of the plurality of coupling gratings has a first width and a second pillar of a second coupling grating of the plurality of coupling gratings has a second width different than the first width;
forming a second dielectric layer on top of the patterned silicon layer; and
forming a second metal layer on a top surface of the second dielectric layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises at least one of: silicon, germanium, silicon carbide, gallium arsenic, indium arsenide and indium phosphide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first metal layer comprises at least one of: aluminum, copper and nickel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the first metal layer has thickness in the range of 0.1 to 10 micrometers.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first dielectric layer comprises at least one of: silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, zirconium oxide, beryllium strontium titanium oxide and silicon nitride.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second metal layer comprises at least one of: aluminum, copper and nickel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the second metal layer has thickness in the range of 0.1 to 10 micrometers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of coupling gratings each comprises at least one first trench, at least one second trench, and at least one pillar.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein a first depth of the at least one first trench is in a range of 250-350 nanometers and a second depth of the at least one second trench is smaller than the first thickness.