US 2005/0089293 A1 · HDP-CVD film for uppercladding application in optical waveguides

Abstract

An optical waveguide is formed on a substrate by first depositing an undercladding layer over the substrate. At least one core is formed over the undercladding layer. An uppercladding layer is then formed over the cores with a high-density plasma process. Deposition of the uppercladding layer may proceed by flowing an oxygen-containing gas, such as O2, a silicon-containing gas, such as SiH4, and a fluorine-containing gas, such as SiF4, into a process chamber to produce a gaseous mixture. A high-density plasma, i.e. having a density of at least 1011 ions/cm3, is generated from the gaseous mixture and then used to deposit a fluorinated silicate glass layer.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for forming an optical waveguide on a substrate in a process chamber, the method comprising:

depositing an undercladding layer over the substrate;
forming a plurality of separated optical cores over the undercladding layer, the plurality of optical cores defining a sequence of gaps;
depositing a first uppercladding layer over the plurality of cores and within the gaps with a high-density plasma process having a deposition-sputter ratio between 3:1 and 10:1 to partially fill the gaps, wherein the deposition-sputter ratio is defined as the ratio of a sum of a net deposition rate and a blanket sputtering rate to the blanket sputtering rate for the high-density plasma process;
and
depositing a second uppercladding layer over the first uppercladding layer with a PECVD process to completely fill the gaps.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

HDP-CVD film for uppercladding application in optical waveguides

Life of this patent

HDP-CVD film for uppercladding application in optical waveguides

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22