Sub-Micron Planar Lightwave Devices Formed on an SOI Optical Platform

An SOI-based optical arrangement for manipulating a propagating lightwave signal, the arrangement comprising

• a silicon substrate;
• a dielectric layer disposed over the silicon substrate;
• a single crystal silicon layer disposed over the dielectric layer;
• a relatively thin dielectric layer disposed over the single crystal silicon layer;
• and
• a sub-micron thick device silicon layer disposed over the relatively thin dielectric layer, where the combined thickness of the device silicon layer, the relatively thin dielectric layer and the single crystal silicon is less than one micron and the single crystal silicon layer is etched through in predetermined regions so as to expose the underlying dielectric layer, the refractive index difference between the remaining area of the single crystal silicon layer and the etched regions creating interfaces for manipulating the properties of the propagating lightwave signal.