Manufacturing method for optical integrated circuit having spatial reflection type structure

Abstract

A manufacturing method for an optical integrated circuit including a spatial reflection type structure having a perpendicular end surface and an inclined surface formed in an optical waveguide layer. The manufacturing method includes the steps of applying a first photoresist to the upper surface of the optical waveguide layer, removing the first photoresist except a portion corresponding to the inclined surface, and heating the first preferred embodiment to a given temperature to melt the first photoresist at least partially and deform the first photoresist by surface tension, thereby forming a first mask having an inclined shape. The manufacturing method further includes the steps of applying a second photoresist to the upper surfaces of the optical waveguide layer and the first mask, removing the second photoresist at a portion ranging from a position corresponding to the perpendicular end surface to a position corresponding to the upper end of the inclined surface to form a second mask, and etching the first mask, the second mask, and the optical waveguide layer by RIE to thereby simultaneously form the perpendicular end surface and the inclined surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.