# US 2019/0317282 A1 · Optical integrated circuits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0317282 A1 - Document ID: US20190317282A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/217,711 - Filed: 2018-12-12 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-11 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Keun-Yeong CHO; Ho-Chul JI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190317282A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/1228: {Tapered waveguides, e.g. integrated spot-size transformers (for coupling with fibres G02B6/305)} - G02B 6/12: of the integrated circuit kind (electric integrated circuits H10B, H10D84/00 - H10D89/00, H10F19/00, H10F39/00, H10H29/00, H10K19/00, H10K39/00, H10K59/00, H10N19/00, H10N39/00, H10N59/00, H10N69/00, H10N79/00, H10N89/00) - G02B 6/12002: {Three-dimensional structures} - G02B 6/12004: {Combinations of two or more optical elements} - G02B 6/122: Basic optical elements, e.g. light-guiding paths - G02B 6/124: Geodesic lenses or integrated gratings - G02B 6/131: {by using epitaxial growth (epitaxial growth for semiconductors H10P14/20)} - G02B 6/125: Bends, branchings or intersections - G02B 6/136: by etching - G02B 2006/12061: {Silicon} - G02B 2006/12083: {Constructional arrangements} - G02B 2006/12147: {Coupler} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Optical integrated circuits are provided. An optical integrated circuit includes a substrate including a single crystalline semiconductor material. The optical integrated circuit includes an insulation region in a trench in the substrate. The optical integrated circuit includes a first core on the insulation region. The first core includes the single crystalline semiconductor material. Moreover, the optical integrated circuit includes a second core that is spaced apart from the first core. The second core includes a material having a refractive index that is lower than that of the first core. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical integrated circuit comprising: a substrate comprising a single crystalline semiconductor material; an insulation region in a trench in the substrate; an active device comprising a first core on the insulation region, the first core comprising the single crystalline semiconductor material; and a passive device comprising a second core that is spaced apart from the first core, wherein the second core comprises a material comprising a refractive index that is lower than that of the first core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the single crystalline semiconductor material of the first core comprises single crystalline silicon, and wherein the material of the second core comprises silicon nitride. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the passive device comprises an optical waveguide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second cores are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate, and wherein the second core overlaps at least a portion of the first core in the vertical direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The optical integrated circuit of claim 4, wherein an entirety of a lowermost surface of the second core overlaps the insulation region in the vertical direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The optical integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second cores are spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate, wherein the passive device comprises a first passive device, and wherein the optical integrated circuit further comprises: a second passive device comprising a third core that is connected to the first core of the active device, the third core comprising the single crystalline semiconductor material; and a third passive device comprising a fourth core that is connected to the second core of the first passive device, the fourth core comprising the material of the second core and overlapping at least a portion of the third core in the vertical direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical integrated circuit of claim 6, wherein the second and third passive devices comprise first and second optical couplers, respectively. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The optical integrated circuit of claim 7, further comprising a reflecting plate on and spaced apart from the second and third passive devices, wherein the reflecting plate is configured to reflect light that is emitted from the first optical coupler to the second optical coupler, or to reflect light that is emitted from the second optical coupler to the first optical coupler. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second cores are spaced apart from each other in a horizontal direction that is substantially parallel to an upper surface of the substrate, and wherein the first and second cores at least partially overlap each other in the horizontal direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The optical integrated circuit of claim 9, wherein an entirety of a lowermost surface of the second core overlaps the insulation region in a vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second cores extends primarily in a direction that is substantially parallel to an upper surface of the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The optical integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the first core extends primarily in a first direction that is substantially parallel to an upper surface of the substrate, and wherein the second core extends primarily in a second direction that is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the substrate and crosses the first direction. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The optical integrated circuit of claim 12, wherein an entirety of a lowermost surface of the second core overlaps the insulation region in a vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The optical integrated circuit of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the second core does not overlap the insulation region in a vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The optical integrated circuit of claim 1, wherein the insulation region comprises a first insulation region, wherein the optical integrated circuit further comprises a second insulation region that is on the substrate, the first insulation region, and the first and second cores, and wherein a lower surface of the first core directly contacts the first insulation region and/or is lower than an upper surface of the substrate. ### Claim 16 An optical integrated circuit comprising: a substrate comprising single crystalline silicon; a first insulation region in a trench in the substrate; a first core directly contacting an upper surface of the first insulation region and comprising single crystalline silicon, an entirety of a lowermost surface of the first core overlapping the first insulation region in a vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate; and a second insulation region on the substrate and the first insulation region, and on an upper surface and side surfaces of the first core; and a second core on the second insulation region, the second core at least partially overlapping the first core in the vertical direction and comprising silicon nitride. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The optical integrated circuit of claim 16, wherein an entirety of a lowermost surface of the second core overlaps the first insulation region in the vertical direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The optical integrated circuit of claim 16, wherein each of the first and second cores extends primarily in a horizontal direction that is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the substrate. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The optical integrated circuit of claim 16, wherein the first core extends primarily in a first horizontal direction that is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the substrate, wherein the second core extends primarily in a second horizontal direction that is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the substrate and crosses the first horizontal direction, and wherein at least a portion of the second core does not overlap the first insulation region in the vertical direction. ### Claim 20 An optical integrated circuit comprising: a single crystalline semiconductor substrate; a first insulation region in a trench in the single crystalline semiconductor substrate; a single crystalline semiconductor region contacting an upper surface of the first insulation region, wherein an entirety of a lowermost surface of the single crystalline semiconductor region overlaps the first insulation region in a vertical direction that is substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the single crystalline semiconductor substrate; a material contacting the upper surface of the first insulation region and comprising a refractive index that is lower than that of the single crystalline semiconductor region and higher than that of the first insulation region, wherein an entirety of a lowermost surface of the material overlaps the first insulation region in the vertical direction, and wherein the material is spaced apart from the single crystalline semiconductor region in a horizontal direction that is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the single crystalline semiconductor substrate; and a second insulation region on the single crystalline semiconductor substrate and the first insulation region, and on the material and the single crystalline semiconductor region, wherein the refractive index of the material is higher than that of the second insulation region.