Efficient thermal activation optical switch and method of making the same
AssigneesAgilent Technologies, Inc., ST Microelectronics SA
InventorsYaoling Pan, Michele Palmieri, Richard E. Haven
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Abstract
An optical switch having an insulator under a heater element is disclosed. The insulator reduces the heat loss thereby making the switch more efficient. The insulator is fabricated embedded in the underlying substrate on which the heater and the optical intersection are fabricated. A method of fabricating the optical switch having an insulator is disclosed. A trench is etched on the substrate and filled with oxide or other suitable insulating material. Then, the heater and the optical intersection are fabricated above the insulator.
Claims19
An optical switch comprising:
- an insulator embedded on a substrate;
- a heater fabricated above the insulator of the substrate;
- an optical intersection constructed above the heater;
- and
- wherein lateral extent of said insulator is substantially similar to lateral extent of said heater and wherein said insulator is embedded in the substrate and separated from the substrate.
A method of fabricating an optical switch, the method comprising:
- embedding an insulator within a substrate;
- fabricating a heater above the insulator;
- constructing an optical intersection above the heater;
- and
- wherein lateral extent of said insulator is substantially similar to lateral extent of said heater and wherein said insulator is embedded in the substrate and separated from the substrate.
A method of fabricating an optical switch, the method comprising:
- etching a trench on a surface of a substrate;
- filling the trench with oxide forming an insulator;
- planarizing the surface;
- fabricating a heater above the insulator;
- and
- constructing an optical intersection above the heater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.