Facet optical coupler
AssigneeAcacia Communications, Inc.
InventorLong Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques for forming a facet optical coupler to couple light at an edge of silicon substrate are described. The facet optical coupler includes a silicon substrate, a layer of second material disposed on the silicon substrate and in direct contact with the edge of the silicon substrate, and an undercut region disposed between a portion of the silicon substrate and the layer of second material. The undercut region is offset from the edge to provide mechanical integrity of the facet optical coupler to improve production of photonic integrated circuits having the facet optical coupler from a wafer.
Claims20
A facet optical coupler comprising:
- a substrate having opposing first and second two-dimensional edges;
- an undercut region in the substrate, the undercut region being proximate to and offset from the first two-dimensional edge of the substrate and being distal from the second two-dimensional edge of the substrate;
- and
- a waveguide having an end over the undercut region,
- wherein the undercut region is closer to the first two-dimensional edge than is the end of the waveguide.
A method of manufacturing a facet optical coupler, the method comprising:
- forming a region in a substrate such that the region has a lower index of refraction than the substrate and is positioned proximate to but offset from a first planar edge of the substrate and distal a second planar edge of the substrate opposite the first planar edge;
- and
- forming a waveguide terminating over the region such that a distance between the waveguide and the first planar edge is greater than a distance between the region and the first planar edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.