Back to results
US 9,239,432 B2Granted
Photonics grating coupler and method of manufacture
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorHarel Frish
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A structure for coupling an optical signal between an integrated circuit photonic structure and an external optical fiber is disclosed as in a method of formation. The coupling structure is sloped relative to a horizontal surface of the photonic structure such that light entering or leaving the photonic structure is substantially normal to its upper surface.
Claims29
A photonic structure comprising:
- a substrate;
- a photonic element supported by the substrate and having horizontal portion and a sloped portion coupled to the horizontal portion;
- and
- a grating formed at the sloped portion for directing light into or out of the photonic element, and
- wherein the photonic element is a waveguide core, and
- wherein the photonic structure further comprises a lower cladding material between the substrate and waveguide core, the lower cladding material having a horizontal portion and a sloped portion, the waveguide core being provided over the lower cladding material.
3 more elements
A photonic structure comprising:
- a substrate;
- a photonic element supported by the substrate and having horizontal portion and a sloped portion coupled to the horizontal portion;
- and
- a grating formed at the sloped portion for directing light into or out of the photonic element, and
- wherein the photonic element is a waveguide core, and
- wherein the slope of the sloped portion of the waveguide core is in the range of about 8 to about 12 degrees with respect to the horizontal portion of the waveguide core.
3 more elements
A photonic coupler, comprising:
- a lower cladding material over a substrate, the lower cladding material having a first horizontal portion with an upper surface which is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the substrate and a second portion contiguous with the first portion which has an upper surface with an upward slope relative to the upper surface of the first portion;
- a waveguide core material provided over the first and second portions of the lower cladding material such that the waveguide core material has a first horizontal portion provided over the first portion of the lower cladding material and a second portion provided over the second portion of the lower cladding material, the second portion of the waveguide core having an upward slope relative to the first horizontal portion of the waveguide core;
- and,
- a grating coupler formed in an upper surface of the second portion of the waveguide core, the grating coupler being arranged to transmit or receive light passing through the waveguide core.
1 more element
A method of forming a photonic structure, the method comprising:
- forming a waveguide core having a horizontal portion and a contiguous sloped portion over a lower cladding material;
- and
- forming an optical grating in the sloped portion of the waveguide core,
- wherein the sloped portion of the waveguide core has a sloped angle relative to the horizontal portion which causes light emitted by the grating to be in a direction substantially normal to an upper surface of the horizontal portion of the waveguide core, and
- wherein the method further comprises forming the lower cladding material over an upper surface of a supporting substrate, the lower cladding material having a horizontal upper surface and a sloped upper surface;
- and forming the waveguide core over the lower cladding material.
3 more elements
A method of forming a photonic structure, the method comprising:
- forming a waveguide core having a horizontal portion and a contiguous sloped portion over a lower cladding material;
- and
- forming an optical grating in the sloped portion of the waveguide core, and
- wherein the sloped portion of the waveguide core has a slope in the range of about 8 to about 12 degrees relative to the horizontal portion of the waveguide core.
1 more element
A method of forming a photonic structure, the method comprising:
- forming a waveguide core having a horizontal portion and a contiguous sloped portion over a lower cladding material;
- and
- forming an optical grating in the sloped portion of the waveguide core, and
- wherein forming the sloped surface of the lower cladding material further comprises:
- forming the lower cladding material over the upper surface of the substrate;
- forming a photoresist material over the lower cladding material;
- gray scale lithograph patterning the photoresist material to form a slope therein;
- and etching through the gray scale patterning photoresist material and into the underlying first cladding material to form a slope in the lower cladding material.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.