Electro-optic waveguide device capable of suppressing bias point DC drift and thermal bias point shift

An electro-optic waveguide device comprising:

• an electro-optic substrate having one or more optical waveguides formed therein adjacent a surface thereof;
• a buffer layer carried by the surface of the electro-optic substrate,
• a block layer supported by the buffer layer and having a greater electrical resistance than the buffer layer, for lessening temporal or thermal drift of the electro-optic waveguide device or for suppressing or lessening an unwanted chemical reaction at or near the surface of the buffer layer;
• a charge bleed off layer supported by the block layer, having an amount of electrical conductivity for bleeding off electrical charges generated on or in the electro-optic waveguide device, and
• electrodes on the charge bleed off layer for providing electrical signals to the optical waveguides through the buffer layer, the block layer, and the charge bleed off layer, wherein the buffer layer is formed upon the surface of the electro-optic substrate, the block layer is formed upon the buffer layer, and the charge bleed layer is formed upon the block layer, and wherein the block layer is comprised of a compound material based on stoichiometric silicon oxide or substantially stoichiometric silicon oxide of the composition SiO2x wherein 0.9≦x≦1 that performs electrical insulative characteristics.

An electro-optic waveguide device comprising:

• an electro-optic substrate having one or more optical waveguides formed therein adjacent a surface thereof;
• a buffer layer carried by the surface of the electro-optic substrate,
• a block layer supported by the buffer layer and having a greater electrical resistance than the buffer layer, for lessening temporal or thermal drift of the electro-optic waveguide device or for suppressing or lessening an unwanted chemical reaction at or near the surface of the buffer layer;
• a charge bleed off layer supported by the block layer, having an amount of electrical conductivity for bleeding off electrical charges generated on or in the electro-optic waveguide device, and
• electrodes on the charge bleed off layer for providing electrical signals to the optical waveguides through the buffer layer, the block layer, and the charge bleed off layer, wherein the buffer layer is formed upon the surface of the electro-optic substrate, the block layer is formed upon the buffer layer, and the charge bleed layer is formed upon the block layer, and wherein the block layer is comprised of a compound material based on stoichiometric silicon nitride or substantially stoichiometric silicon nitride of the composition SiN(4/3)x wherein 0.9≦x≦1 that performs electrical insulative characteristics.

A method of forming an electo-optic waveguide device comprising the steps of:

• a) providing an electro-optic substrate;
• b) forming one or more optical waveguides near a surface of the electro-optic substrate;
• c) forming a buffer layer made of a compound material based on doped silicon oxide on the surface of the electro-optic substrate;
• d) forming a block layer over the buffer layer surface, capable of suppressing or lessening an occurrence of chemical reactions at or near the surface of the buffer layer;
• e) forming a charge bleed off layer on the block layer, made of either silicon based material, non-stoichiometric silicon nitride based material, or non-stoichiometric silicon oxide based material;
• and
• f) forming electrodes on the charge bleed off layer.

A method of forming an electo-optic waveguide device comprising the steps of:

• a) providing an electro-optic substrate;
• b) forming one or more optical waveguides near a surface of the electro-optic substrate;
• c) forming a buffer layer made of a compound material based on doped silicon oxide on the surface of the electro-optic substrate;
• d) forming a block layer over the buffer layer surface, capable of suppressing or lessening an occurrence of chemical reactions at or near the surface of the buffer layer;
• e) forming a charge bleed off layer on the block layer, made of either silicon based material, non-stoichiometric silicon nitride based material, or non-stoichiometric silicon oxide based material;
• and
• f) forming electrodes on the charge bleed off layer, wherein the block layer is made of a material having the composition SiO2x wherein 0.9≦x≦1 or SiN(4/3)x wherein 0.9≦x≦1.

An electro-optic waveguide device comprising:

• a four layer structure consisting of:
• i) an electro-optic substrate having one or more optical waveguides formed therein;
• ii) a buffer layer directly upon a surface of the electro-optic substrate,
• iii) a block layer supported by and contacting the buffer layer, for suppressing or lessening an unwanted chemical reaction at or near the surface of the buffer layer;
• and,
• iv) a charge bleed off layer supported by and contacting the block layer, having an amount of electrical conductivity for bleeding off electrical charges generated on or in the electro-optic waveguide device;
• and,
• electrodes on the charge bleed off layer for providing electrical signals to the optical waveguides through the buffer layer, the block layer, and the charge bleed off layer.

An electro-optic waveguide device comprising:

• a four layer structure consisting of:
• i) an electro-optic substrate having one or more optical waveguides formed therein;
• ii) a buffer layer directly upon a surface of the electro-optic substrate,
• iii) a block layer supported by and contacting the buffer layer, for suppressing or lessening an unwanted chemical reaction at or near the surface of the buffer layer;
• and,
• iv) a charge bleed off layer supported by and contacting the block layer, having an amount of electrical conductivity for bleeding off electrical charges generated on or in the electro-optic waveguide device;
• and,
• electrodes on the charge bleed off layer for providing electrical signals to the optical waveguides through the buffer layer, the block layer, and the charge bleed off layer, wherein the block layer is SiO2x wherein 0.9≦x≦1 or SiN(4/3)x wherein 0.9≦x≦1.