Thermal structure for a micro-ring resonator (MRR) in a photonic integrated circuit (PIC)
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsChia-Pin Chiu, Omkar G. Karhade, Kaveh Hosseini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Variations in a thermal structure for an open cavity photonic integrated circuit (OCPIC) having an MRR. The structure includes an air trench in fluid communication with an air cavity that is located under the MRR. The air trench is a gap/opening in the oxide that encircles at least a portion of the MRR and extends outward radially therefrom, with a consistent width, to a diameter D1. An oxide cladding is not removed in areas that are used for metal traces and routing. The structure is characterized by straight walls along the air trench. The structure has a lower diameter D2, measured at a bottom/floor of the air cavity. In various embodiments, D2 is substantially equal to D1.
Claims25
A structure, comprising:
- a silicon waveguide structure located on a substrate;
- an oxide layer overlaid on the silicon waveguide structure and substrate;
- an air trench located in the oxide layer, the air trench encircling at least a portion of the silicon waveguide structure, the air trench characterized by a substantially straight wall;
- and
- an air cavity located under the silicon waveguide structure, in the substrate, the air cavity in fluid communication with the air trench.
A multi-chip package (MCP), comprising:
- a substrate;
- an open-cavity photonic integrated circuit (OCPIC) attached to the substrate, the OCPIC having a micro-ring resonator (MRR) located between a silicon layer and an oxide layer;
- an air trench located in the oxide layer, the air trench encircling at least a portion of the MRR, the air trench characterized by a substantially straight wall;
- and
- an air cavity located under the MRR, in the silicon layer, the air cavity in fluid communication with the air trench.
A device, comprising:
- a printed circuit board;
- and
- multi-chip package (MCP) attached to the printed circuit board, the MCP comprising:
- a substrate;
- an open-cavity photonic integrated circuit (OCPIC) attached to the substrate, the OCPIC having a micro-ring resonator (MRR) located between a silicon layer and an oxide layer;
- an air trench located in the oxide layer, the air trench encircling at least a portion of the MRR, the air trench characterized by a substantially straight wall;
- and
- an air cavity located under the MRR, in the silicon layer, the air cavity in fluid communication with the air trench.
A method for manufacturing a structure for an OCPIC having an MRR, comprising:
- on a first piece of silicon, thinning a layer in a region to create an air cavity;
- on a second piece of silicon, having a MRR manufactured thereon, removing a layer of silicon under the MRR;
- attaching the air cavity in the first piece of silicon to the second piece of silicon to position the MRR over the air cavity;
- and
- etching an air trench in an oxide layer, such that the air trench is in fluid communication with the air cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.