Managing optical shielding for integrated circuits

A method comprising:

• forming a volume comprising one or more materials between a first plane and a second plane;
• forming, positioned between the first plane and the second plane, at least a portion of one or more of an optical waveguide, an optical gain medium, a photodetector, or an electro-optic device;
• and
• forming a plurality of light-impeding structures configured to absorb light, reflect light, or both absorb and reflect light, the plurality of light-impeding structures comprising a first set of light-impeding structures arranged such that each light-impeding structure in the first set
• intersects the first plane with a first cross-sectional shape,
• intersects the second plane with a second cross-sectional shape,
• comprises a first maximum cross-sectional length equal to the length of a longest line between two maximally separated points of the first cross-sectional shape,
• comprises a second maximum cross-sectional length equal to the length of the longest line between two maximally separated points of the second cross-sectional shape, and
• is separated from one or more nearest neighboring light-impeding structures in the first set by a distance no larger than four times the length of the first maximum cross-sectional length or four times the length of the second maximum cross-sectional length;
• wherein light propagation through one or more points is impeded, such that any line that intersects at least one of the one or more points, is entirely within the volume, and traverses through the first set of light-impeding structures, intersects at least one light-impeding structure.